Amidst a shortage of prescription stimulants, concerns have been raised about the potential increase in illicit drug use. With many individuals relying on prescription stimulants to manage conditions such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), the shortage has left many struggling to access the medication they need. This has led some individuals to turn to illicit drugs as an alternative, which can have serious health consequences.

The shortage of prescription stimulants has been attributed to a variety of factors, including supply chain disruptions in the fall of 2022 and increased prescribing and dispensing. Due to the shortage, it is essential that stimulants be prescribed responsibly. Prescribers should assess the risk of misuse, abuse and addiction prior to prescribing stimulant medication. To prescribe stimulant medications, providers must follow Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) criteria to confirm ADHD diagnosis. Prescribers must cross-reference prescription information with information available in state-run prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs), as well as limit the number of pills and frequency of pills prescribed. Patients and their family members should be educated on how to safely store and dispose of prescription stimulants and the potential risks of misuse, addiction and overdose.

It is important for providers to be aware that there is a greater risk of diversion when prescription stimulants are scarce. Approximately 56-80% of the population reported that stimulants were obtained from friends or family members. The most vulnerable population for nonmedical use of prescription stimulants was the 18-25 age group, and reported misuse of stimulants was for improving academic or work performance, followed by recreational or social use.

These drugs are easily accessible through the internet and social media, posing as prescription drugs such as Adderall and Xanax. Those websites are targeted at youth at risk of diversion, misuse and shortages. According to a report published by the Centers for Disease Control in December 2022, overdose deaths among youth aged 14-19 increased significantly from 2019 to 2021. Over 25% of the deaths were caused by counterfeit pills, which mimicked prescription medications but contained deadly fentanyl.

Illicit drugs can have a range of negative effects on both physical and mental health and can lead to addiction and overdose. Over 50.6 million fake pills were seized by the Drug Enforcement Administration in 2022. There was a potentially lethal dose of fentanyl in six out of 10 pills containing the drug. In Delaware, 85% of the 537 overdose deaths involved fentanyl. The number of overdose deaths caused by illicit stimulants is also on the rise. Last year, 44% of overdose deaths contained cocaine and 12% methamphetamine.

It is important to screen patients for stimulant use disorders. To find more information on screening and assessment go to HelpIsHereDE.com//health-care-providers.

It is crucial for individuals to prioritize their health and safety by seeking out alternative treatments or working with their healthcare provider to find a solution. For free 24/7 counseling, coaching, and support, as well as links to mental health, addiction, and crisis services call the Delaware Hope Line at 1-833-9-HOPEDE. To search for treatment and recovery services in Delaware or nearby states, visit HelpIsHereDE.com.

The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH), a division of the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services, is a nationally accredited public health agency recognized by the Public Health Accreditation Board for its outstanding dedication to driving change through innovation. DPH is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware’s citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations. 

A person who is deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind or speech-disabled can call the DPH phone number above by using TTY services. Dial 7-1-1 or 800-232-5460 to type your conversation to a relay operator, who reads your conversation to a hearing person at DPH. The relay operator types the hearing person’s spoken words back to the TTY user. To learn more about TTY availability in Delaware, visit http://delawarerelay.com.

DOVER, Del. – A Smyrna man was arrested Feb. 25 on drug charges following a traffic stop and vehicle search in Dover conducted by the Delaware Natural Resources Police – Environmental Crimes Unit, in which officers seized as evidence 322 grams of marijuana, 66 Xanax pills, $1,225 in cash, a digital scale, and drug packaging materials.

Andrew Burns, 23, was charged with one count of each of the following:

• Manufacture/deliver/possession with intent to deliver controlled substance Tier 2 quantity

• Manufacture/deliver/possession with intent to deliver controlled substance
• Possession of controlled substance Tier 2 quantity
• Possession of controlled substance Tier 1 quantity
• Conspiracy second degree – agreement to engage in felony criminal conduct
• Possession of drug paraphernalia not related to personal use quantity marijuana
• Failure to have insurance identification in possession
• Operation of an unregistered motor vehicle
• Display of license plate
• Unsafe passing on the left
• Duty to sign and carry driver’s license

Burns was arraigned via video phone in Justice of the Peace Court 2 and released on his own recognizance, pending a court date.

Delawareans are encouraged to report environmental violations to DNREC’s Natural Resources Police Environmental Crimes Unit by calling the 24-hour environmental complaints line at 800-662-8802.

Media Contact: Joanna Wilson, Joanna.wilson@delaware.gov

DOVER — Delaware will hold its 16th Drug Take-Back Day on Saturday, April 28, 2018, to help reduce the risk of prescription medications being diverted for misuse. Delawareans can discard their expired or unused medications at 24 locations statewide between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Organized nationally, by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and locally, by the Division of Public Health (DPH), the twice-a-year event has resulted in 76,474 pounds of medication being collected in 15 events since 2010. Properly discarding unused medications is an important ongoing event in the effort to address the nationwide opioid epidemic. Doing so reduces the risk of addiction by keeping prescription medications out of the hands of people who may misuse, abuse, or sell them, and helps reduce the risk of drug overdoses. Proper disposal also protects our groundwater from medications being flushed down the toilet.

“I am grateful to the citizens across our state who take seriously their responsibility to rid their homes of expired, unwanted or unnecessary medications,” Governor John Carney said. “To reduce the toll that addiction is having on our state, we are combining education and prevention efforts like the Drug Take-Back Day efforts, with strong law enforcement and control measures, and an expanding treatment and recovery system.”

“Unwanted, expired or unused prescription medications are often an unintended catalyst for addiction,” said DPH Director Dr. Karyl Rattay. “Participating in Drug Take-Back Days provides the average person a concrete way they can make a difference in the ongoing opioid epidemic our state is facing. By taking the important step of cleaning out medicine cabinets, you can make your home safe from potential prescription drug abuse or theft.”

According to the 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 6.4 million Americans abused controlled prescription drugs. Additionally, national studies show that almost two-thirds of people who misuse prescription drugs get them from friends and family, including by raiding medicine cabinets, purses and drawers. DPH reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that 293 people died in Delaware from drug overdoses in 2016, compared to 214 in 2015.

In addition to the 24 sites participating in Drug Take-Back Day activities, there are 21 permanent medicine drop-off locations across the state available year-round. Six of Delaware’s permanent drop-off sites are in Walgreens pharmacies and the other 15 are located in local law enforcement agencies.

Delawareans seeking help for drug addiction, medical providers seeking information on patient education and treatment resources, or individuals searching for information about naloxone training classes and how to use the medicine, can visit www.HelpIsHereDE.com. The website, Delaware’s one-stop-shopping resource for information about education, prevention and treatment options for addiction, also features short testimonial videos from Delawareans in long-term recovery, parents who lost adult children to overdoses, and others.

On Drug Take-Back Day, drugs for disposal must be in a container such as a pill bottle, box, blister pack, or zipped plastic bag, with personal information removed. Liquid medications must be in their original containers. Needles, aerosols, biohazard materials, medical equipment and batteries will not be accepted.
For more details and a list of permanent collection sites, visit DPH at dhss.delaware.gov/dph/hsp/hhdrugtakeback.html or call 302-744-4546, ext. 4.
Delaware’s Drug Take-Back Day sites for April 28, 2018 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. are

New Castle County

• Christiana Care Surgical Center, 4755 Ogletown Stanton Road, Newark
• Delaware City Police Department, 407 Clinton St., Delaware City
• Delaware State Police Troop 2, 100 La Grange Ave., Newark
• Middletown Police Department, 130 Hampden Road, Middletown
• New Castle County Airport, 151 N. DuPont Highway, New Castle
• New Castle County Police Department, 3601 N. DuPont Highway (permanent collection site)
• Shipley Manor Nursing Home, 2723 Shipley Road, Wilmington
• Wilmington VA Medical Center, 1601 Kirkwood Highway, Wilmington

Kent County

• Atlantic Apothecary, 103. S. Dupont Blvd., Suite 2, Smyrna
• Camden Police Department, 1783 Friends Way, Camden (permanent collection site)
• Cheswold Police Department, 691 Main St., Cheswold
• Delaware State Police Troop 3, 3759 S. State St.
• Felton Police Department, 24 E. Sewell St., Felton (permanent collection site)
• Milford Police Department, 400 NE Front St., Milford (permanent collection site)

Sussex County

• City of Lewes Board of Public Works, 129 Schley Ave., Lewes
• Dagsboro Police Department, 33134 Main St., Dagsboro
• Delaware State Police Troop 7, 18006 Coastal Highway, Lewes
• Laurel Police Department, 205 Mechanic St., Laurel (permanent collection site)
• Milton Police Department, 101 Federal St., Milton
• Ocean View Police Department, 201 Central Ave., Ocean View, (permanent collection site)
• CVS Pharmacy, 36252 Lighthouse Road, Selbyville
• Lewes Ferry Terminal, 43 Cape Henlopen Road, Lewes
• Rehoboth Police Department, 229 Rehoboth Ave., Rehoboth Beach
• Selbyville Town Hall, 68 W. Church St., Selbyville (permanent collection site)

For further information on addiction recognition, prevention and treatment, visit www.helpisherede.com.

A person who is deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind or speech-disabled can call the DPH phone number above by using TTY services. Dial 7-1-1 or 800-232-5460 to type your conversation to a relay operator, who reads your conversation to a hearing person at DPH. The relay operator types the hearing person’s spoken words back to the TTY user. To learn more about TTY availability in Delaware, visit http://delawarerelay.com.

Delaware Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware’s citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations. DPH, a division of DHSS, urges Delawareans to make healthier choices with the 5-2-1 Almost None campaign: eat 5 or more fruits and vegetables each day, have no more than 2 hours of recreational screen time each day (includes TV, computer, gaming), get 1 or more hours of physical activity each day, and drink almost no sugary beverages.

DOVER – With hundreds of lives being lost to drug overdoses each year in our state, Delaware will hold a Drug Take-Back Day on Saturday, October 28, 2017, to help reduce the risk of prescription medications being diverted for misuse. Delawareans can discard their expired or unused medications at 22 locations statewide between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.

Organized by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Department of Health and Social Service (DHSS), the twice-a-year event has resulted in more than 70,000 pounds of medication being collected in 14 events. Properly discarding unused medications reduces the risk of addiction, keeps prescription medications out of the hands of people who may abuse them, helps prevent drug overdoses and protects groundwater.

“With the recent suspected overdose deaths in Kent County, people across the state are wondering what they can do to reduce the impact of addiction,” said DHSS Secretary Dr. Kara Odom Walker. “One concrete thing that everyone can do is to use Drug Take-Back Day as an opportunity to turn in your expired or unused medications. Tragically, in more than 80 percent of the 308 fatal overdoses in Delaware last year, the presence of one or more prescription drugs was detected.” National studies show that almost two-thirds of people who misuse prescription drugs get them from friends and family, including by raiding medicine cabinets, purses and drawers.

As of Oct. 18, 2017, there have been 180 suspected drug overdose deaths in Delaware. In 2016, 308 people died from drug overdoses, compared to 228 in 2015 and 222 in 2014.

In addition to the 22 participating sites in Drug Take-Back Day activities, there are also 21 permanent medicine drop-off locations across the state available year-round. In April, Walgreens became the first private Delaware retailer to install safe medicine disposal boxes. Six of Delaware’s permanent drop-off sites are in Walgreens pharmacies. The remaining 15 are located in local law enforcement agencies.

“Drug Take-Back Day is an important day to drop off medications, but we want people to be aware that they can safely dispose of unused and expired medications all year round,” said Division of Public Health (DPH) Director Dr. Karyl Rattay. “The permanent locations are an important tool in our fight against addiction, along with providing access to the drug overdose-reversing medication naloxone and getting those struggling with addiction into treatment.”

Delawareans seeking help for drug addiction, medical providers seeking information on patient education and treatment resources, or individuals searching for information about naloxone training classes and how to use the medicine, can visit www.HelpIsHereDE.com. The website, Delaware’s one-stop-shopping resource for information about education, prevention and treatment options for addiction, also features short testimonial videos from Delawareans in long-term recovery, parents who lost adult children to overdoses, a treatment provider and a police officer.

On Drug Take-Back Day, drugs for disposal must be in a container such as a pill bottle, box, blister pack, or zipped plastic bag, with personal information removed. Liquid medications must be in their original containers. Needles, aerosols, biohazard materials, medical equipment, and batteries will not be accepted.

For more details and a list of permanent collection sites, visit DPH at http://dhss.delaware.gov/dph/hsp/hhdrugtakeback.html or 302-744-4546, ext. 4; and the DEA at https://apps.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/pubdispsearch/spring/main?execution=e1s1.

Delaware’s Drug Take-Back Day sites for Oct. 28, 2017 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. are:

New Castle County
Christiana Care Surgical Center, 4755 Ogletown Stanton Road, Newark, DE 19718
Daniel S. Frawley Stadium, 801 Shipyard Drive, Wilmington, DE 19801
Delaware City Police Department, 407 Clinton St., Delaware City, DE 19706
Delaware State Police Troop 2, 100 La Grange Ave., Newark, DE 19702
Middletown Police Department, 130 Hampden Road, Middletown, DE 19709
New Castle County Airport, 151 N. DuPont Highway, New Castle, DE 19720
New Castle County Police Department, 3601 N. DuPont Highway, New Castle, DE 19720
Newark Police Department, 220 South Main St., Newark, DE 19711 (permanent collection site)
Wilmington VA Medical Center, 1601 Kirkwood Highway, Wilmington, DE 19805

Kent County
Atlantic Apothecary, 103. S. Dupont Blvd., Suite 2, Smyrna, DE 19977
Camden Police Department, 1783 Friends Way, Camden, DE 19934
Cheswold Police Department, 691 Main St., Cheswold, DE 19936
Delaware State Police Troop 3, 3759 S. State St., Camden, DE 19934
Felton Police Department, 24 East Sewell St., Felton, DE 19943 (permanent collection site)
Milford Police Department, 400 N.E. Front St., Milford, DE 19963 (permanent collection site)

Sussex County
City of Lewes Board of Public Works, 129 Schley Ave., Lewes, DE 19958
Dagsboro Police Department, 33134 Main St., Dagsboro, DE 19939
Delaware State Police Troop 4, 23652 Shortly Road, Georgetown, DE 19947
Delaware State Police Troop 7, 18006 Coastal Highway, Lewes, DE 19958
Laurel Police Department, 205 Mechanic St., Laurel, DE 19956 (permanent collection site)
Milton Police Department, 101 Federal St., Milton, DE 19968
Ocean View Police Department, 201 Central Ave., Ocean View, DE 19970 (permanent collection site)

For further information on addiction recognition, prevention and treatment, visit www.helpisherede.com.

A person who is deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind or speech-disabled can call the DPH phone number above by using TTY services. Dial 7-1-1 or 800-232-5460 to type your conversation to a relay operator, who reads your conversation to a hearing person at DPH. The relay operator types the hearing person’s spoken words back to the TTY user. To learn more about TTY availability in Delaware, visit http://delawarerelay.com.

Delaware Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware’s citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations. DPH, a division of DHSS, urges Delawareans to make healthier choices with the 5-2-1 Almost None campaign: eat 5 or more fruits and vegetables each day, have no more than 2 hours of recreational screen time each day (includes TV, computer, gaming), get 1 or more hours of physical activity each day, and drink almost no sugary beverages.