United States 8/11/2009 2:12:15 AM
Michael Jackson: Sedative Source of Increased Attention
Medical professionals are beginning to abuse the drug more frequently
Until recently most of the world did not know what Propofol was.
Now the sedative, implicated in Michael Jackson's recent death, is a source of increased attention across the world and some eyes are on the medical community and the possibility of drug addiction.
Medical professionals are beginning to abuse the drug more frequently. The increase in its illegal use is raising concerns that the government should step in and restrict its use.
Propofol, sold under the brand name Diprivan, is a widely used hospital sedative. It is quick-acting and rapidly leaves the system, because of this it is also being used more and more as a recreational drug by the physicians who have access to it.
Users say Propofol can bring a short but intense high as the sedation wears off. Some call the habit, "pronapping," because the drug induces a short rest for medical personnel between long shifts.
Hospitals generally do not keep Propofol locked up and it is often easily accessible in hospital rooms along with Band-Aids and antibiotics. This is of access is in part the source of the problem.
Mary Rieser, Director of Narconon of Georgia which is addiction treatment center in Atlanta Georgia says that the recent media attention on drugs such as Oxycontin has made it harder to detect the growing abuse of Propofol.
Propofol is known to have caused deaths and even when administered in a hospital there are risks to its use. In a hospital it is administered under close supervision and management of the patient’s airway to insure breathing does not stop.
When the drug was first introduced 20 years ago it was not classified as a controlled substance. Its use is therefore not monitored by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Two years ago a group of citizens had asked the DEA to review its classification of the drug. Now with the death of Michael Jackson the drug is coming under even heavier scrutiny.
An official with the DEA said a decision will be coming within several months, too late for Michael Jackson, but hopefully soon enough to prevent any further needless deaths.
