Prescription Drug Overdose Death Rates Drop in Oklahoma

In 2014, prescription drug overdose deaths in Oklahoma decreased by 5% from the previous year’s overdose death rate. Specifically, 510 people died in Oklahoma from prescription drug overdoses in 2014, compared with 538 people in 2013. The decreased rate represents the lowest rate in Oklahoma since 2007. State officials credit drug abuse prevention efforts, reports Drug Topics.

As of November 2015, Oklahoma state law mandates that prescribers check the state’s prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) when prescribing a controlled substance (CS). The Oklahoma PDMP tracks prescriptions filled for Schedule II, III, IV, and V CS.