Prescription painkiller drug abuse is now one of the leading killers of middle-aged Floridians. And, with painkiller abuse on the rise,  a coalition of Florida health organizations is launching an awareness campaign called The Pain Truth.

The Pain Truth is a 3-month public education program, which will include public service announcements, education, awareness, Internet, and community events across the state.  This offensive will canvas the state and reach people at home, workplaces, schools, churches and more, leading up to a Dec. 1 event when
Florida, the Sunshine State, ”Goes Dark for a Day.”

  The event is meant to recognize lives lost, by offering an official day of mourning for families and friends of thousands who have died.

The Pain Truth is the brainchild of the Florida Society of Interventional Pain Physicians (FSIPP), with endorsements from the Florida Medical Association (FMA), and the Florida Society of Addiction Medicine (FSAM).  The program is also supported by the Florida Office of Drug Control’s 2009 Drug Control Strategy regarding prescription drug abuse and diversion.

 Recent statistics demonstrate the importance of growing awareness of prescription drug abuse throughout the state:

• Nearly 3,000 Floridians died from prescription drug use in 2009.
• Prescription Oxycodone was responsible for more deaths in Florida in 2009 than cocaine, heroin and morphine combined.  The increase is up 25.9% over 2008.