Three times as many Floridians died this year from prescription drug abuse than from the use illicit drugs, according to a report from the Florida Medical Examiners Commission. Florida is one of the few states that keep such records.

The new information supports the findings of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, which estimates an 80 percent increase in the number of people abusing prescription drugs in the United States over the past six years. This increase means that an estimated seven million people are illegally using prescription medications, primarily painkillers and opiates like oxycodone and hydrocone.

The Florida report found that 989 individuals died from using cocaine, heroin or methamphetamines, while 2,328 deaths resulted from the use of painkillers. An additional 743 deaths were attributed to the misuse of benzodiazepines such as Valium and Xanax.

Florida legislators are considering joining the 38 states that already have laws to monitor prescription drug sales.

Labels: abuse, death, prescription_drugs