A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show a steep increase in fatal drug overdoses involving teenagers ages 15 – 19 since 2015 after years of decline. Deaths from fatal drug overdoses doubled, with most cases stemming from opioid use.
As the U.S. opioid crisis has worsened in recent years, states are working to crack down on a growing way that addicts try to score their drugs: getting a prescription for their pets from a veterinarian.
Vets say they have seen an increase in the number of people making repeated visits for drugs for their pets, NBC News reported. The most common drug people target from vets is tramadol, an opioid pain medication prescribed to both animals and humans.
States, such as Maine, Colorado, Alaska and Oklahoma, have included veterinarians in its opioid-related laws. For example, vets and other doctors in Maine must check a state database before prescribing a person opioids for pets.
However, some vets in other states argued they shouldn't be forced to monitor the medical histories of humans.
