Ohio police officers want to accelerate investigation process for prescription drugs

Prescription drug abuse is a fairly recent behavior that is a result of different issues. First, experts say that many doctors fraudulently prescribe medication to individuals who may not need it. Because of the increased supply of these powerful narcotics, children and teens can sneak into medicine cabinets in their homes to obtain painkillers such as Vicodin and Oxycontin.

However, the state of Ohio, which currently struggles from a prescription drug abuse problem, is attempting to accelerate law enforcement investigations into these issues, Coshocton Tribune reports.

Law enforcement officials are worried that if they do not speed up the investigation process with regards to prescription drugs, they will likely face a larger problem when the patent protection on Oxycontin expires in 2013 and cheaper generic drugs flood the market.

State officials noted that a local task force takes a few months to conduct a criminal probe into a doctor or pain clinic. However, FBI or DEA investigations can take upwards of seven to 10 years.

While parents wait for these issues to be sorted out parent involvement can help during adolescence by motivating troubled teens to abstain from using prescription drugs for recreational purposes.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, nearly 5 percent of high school seniors reportedly used Oxycontin in 2008.