COLUMBUS (AP) – Tuesday, Federal Judge Dan Polster urged participants on all sides of the lawsuits against drugmakers and distributors to work toward a common goal of reducing overdose deaths. He stated that the lawsuits have come to his court “because other branches of the government have punted it”.

The judge currently oversees more than 180 lawsuits against drugmakers brought by local communities across the country; including those from Ohio. The Judge said that he believes everyone from drugmakers to doctors to individuals bears some responsibility for the crisis and hasn’t done enough to stop it.

*Published IrontonTribune.com – Published January 10, 2018

A person doesn’t have to be an opioid abuser to be injured or killed by the drug. Children and first responders are among those at risk of injury or death from accidental exposure.
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Fatal Doses:
The individual’s size, body chemistry, tolerance, and general health can all play a role into whether a dose is lethal. Obviously, the same amount would affect a child differently than an adult who has a history of abusing opiates.Heroin:  30 milligrams — or a little less than a half a pack of sugar — can be deadly.

Fentanyl:  “Just 2 milligrams — an equivalent to about 32 grains of salt — can be enough to kill a person”, said Jessica Toms, a laboratory supervisor at the Ohio Attorney General’s Bureau of Investigation (BCI). Fentanyl is similar to morphine but is 50 to 100 times more potent, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

Carfentanil:   “About 20 micrograms — less than a grain of salt — can be a lethal dose for a human”, Toms said. “Carfentanil is so strong that it is used to sedate elephants.”

“The drugs can be absorbed into the skin”, Toms said, “but inhalation can kill faster. It is all about how much of the substance makes it into the bloodstream, and how quickly it can get there. For someone abusing drugs, injection is going to be the fastest and most dangerous route. But for someone who is exposed to it, inhalation of the substance is going to likely be the fastest route.”

“Both absorption through the skin and ingestion require that the substance be absorbed through multiple layers of skin or organ tissue prior to entering the bloodstream, this ultimately takes longer,” Toms said. “However, mucous membranes (eyes, nose, mouth) will be faster as these areas of your skin are thinner and were naturally designed to absorb materials.”

To avoid accidental exposure, law enforcement should exercise caution and be aware of how they are handling items at crime scenes.

Last July, Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine warned law enforcement agencies to reconsider testing drugs on the scene because of the danger involved. “Field testing is not a good idea,” he said. “The risk is too high.” DeWine urged BCI’s Criminal Intelligence Unit to put out a series of law enforcement bulletins to make sure officers are informed about opioids and the dangers of handling them.

If testing must be performed, officers should wear proper protective equipment and test in an open, well-ventilated space, she said. Officers should be aware of what they are touching while wearing their gloves as to avoid creating an exposure incident after their gloves have been removed.

“Lastly, we recommend that suspected drug evidence be packaged in plastic to prevent the substances from spilling or leaking,” Toms said.

In case of exposure, an officer should wash his or her hands and immediately seek medical assistance.

Signs of opioid exposure include respiratory depression; pinpoint pupils; vomiting; loss of consciousness; choking or gurgling; slow or absent pulse; bluish, clammy skin; and limpness.

Across college campuses, overwhelming amounts of students believe that Adderall is safe because doctors prescribe it, but continued use of the drug can create a dangerous addiction. College students are especially likely to take the drug as it produces an increase in concentration, confidence and an overall sense of euphoria. Classified as a stimulant, Adderall also keeps students awake, so they can cram for finals or write an entire 30 page term paper in a single night.

While some students only take the drug occasionally to give them a boost near finals, others rely on it to manage their overscheduled school, work, and social lives. Prolonged use can create a dependency on the drug. The brain of an Adderall addict might feel clouded & out of focus without the medication.

Adderall addiction symptoms may include:

• Unable to finish work
• Inability to feel alert
• Needing increasingly larger dosage to feel it’s effect

Possession with a Perscription is Criminal

Under federal law, Adderall is considered a schedule II controlled substance due to its high potential for abuse. If you are caught in possession of Adderall or other prescription stimulants, and you do not have a prescription of your own, you could be charged with a criminal offense. If you are convicted of possession of a controlled substance in Ohio, you could face fines up to $5,000 and a year in jail. These penalties can only increase if you are caught in possession of an amount enough to be considered distribution.

Arrested for Possession of Adderall

If you or someone you know was recently arrested for possession of a prescription stimulant such as Adderall, you need a  tenacious Columbus criminal attorney to navigate you through this process.