NH ranked 13th lowest per-capita for opioid prescriptions

With rising rates of drug-related deaths sparking concern among lawmakers in both Washington and Concord, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention related to the use of prescription painkillers is particularly timely.

A CDC comparison of per-capita prescriptions of opioid painkillers saw New Hampshire ranked 13^th lowest in the nation, with 72 prescriptions for per 100 people. 

Hawaii topped the chart with 52 prescriptions per 100 residents, while Alabama and Tennessee tied for last with 143. 

The CDC did note that despite low overall prescription rates, New Hampshire and Maine were top in the nation for per-capita prescriptions of longer-acting or higher-dose versions of the drugs.

The organization recently published a list of voluntary guidelines for physicians encouraging non-pharmaceutical methods for managing chronic pain, such as weight loss and physical therapy, and the use of non-opioid pain relievers before turning to opioid drugs. The guidelines represent a generally more cautious approach to prescribing drugs such as Vicodin and Oxycontin – a “start low and go slow” policy combined with regular follow-ups to check patients for signs of addiction or abuse.

Some physicians, however, have expressed concern that the new guidelines don’t do enough to address the problems faced by chronic pain patients and could discourage doctors from providing some patients with the drugs they need.