“DEA is particularly interested in hearing from families whose loved ones may have overdosed or died as a result of obtaining pharmaceuticals over the Internet. Tips including the Web addresses will help us put these pill pushers out of business,” Tandy stated. Anonymous reports will be taken at 1-877-RxAbuse or can be made online at www.dea.gov by clicking on a link and filling out an electronic form.   According to data collected by the Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN), since 1995 the number of drug abuse-related emergency room visits involving pain relievers such as Vicodin, Percocet, OxyContin and Darvon, increased 153 per cent from (from 42,857 to 108,320). 1 out of every 10 high school seniors now reports abusing powerful prescription pain killers. In March of this year, DEA, the Office of National Drug Control Policy, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Surgeon General announced a coordinated, comprehensive plan to address the problem of prescription drug abuse as part of the President’s 2004 National Drug Control Strategy.  This prescription drug abuse hotline is one piece of the strategy.

DEA’s prescription drug abuse hotline is up and running. We expect callers will provide leads that will help root out offenders and shut down their illegal operations. But our work doesn’t stop here. We are also meeting with citizen groups, businesses, health professionals, civic leaders, and educators across the nation to let the American public know that prescription drugs are dangerous when misused and can be potentially fatal. This is a critical message for America’s youth," the Administrator added.
 
In a related piece of the President’s National Strategy, DEA also is pursuing illegal Internet drug operations.  A flashing notice on the DEA Webpage www.dea.gov  already enables people to report suspicious Internet pharmacies online.  With a click of the mouse, people can pull up a simple form that allows them to get this information to DEA quickly.  Since the web notice went up in June, we have received 810 tips.

Callers will be able to make confidential reports by dialing toll free 1-877-RxAbuse
(1-877-792-2873) around the clock, 365 days per year.  The hotline will be staffed by bilingual operators housed at DEA's El Paso Intelligence Center (EPIC). This is a toll free call from Mexico as well.

Recent studies suggest that steroid abuse among teenagers is on the rise. The study indicates that students at the 8th grade level (and even younger) are beginning to experiment with steroids with little understanding of their potential deadly side effects.

Illinois had one last chance to tie the score after Jones missed his second attempt. Weber called a timeout to set up a play for Smith, but Washington's defenders made the appropriate switches on a series of screens, leaving the Illini's fate in the hands of Brown.