The Journal Gazette published a good story on prescription drug overdoses: “ODs from Rx drugs soar: Legal opiates now tied to more deaths than heroin, cocaine combined.” The story highlights some interesting statistics, and makes an important point:

... the problem is increasing even while most people's concerns are elsewhere: Billions are spent to stop street-drug trafficking nationwide, and newspapers are filled with reports of drug busts and seizures. But in 2007, according to the National Vital Statistics System, prescription narcotics were involved in more overdose deaths than heroin and cocaine combined.