Drugs are very much in the news in Clarion County. Suboxone, Subutex, Heroin, Opiates, K2, Spice, and other names frequent news reports.
As legal officials sort out future actions related to the closing of Dr. Thomas Radecki’s offices in Clarion, Seneca, Kane, and DuBois, related questions about the use of suboxone and treatment for opiate addiction are surfacing in Clarion County.
Various law enforcement officials seized records and other documents at the locations as part of an ongoing investigation by the state’s attorney general office. Radecki has not been charged in the case. The attorney general’s office said the investigation is ongoing.
The law allows certified physicians to prescribe suboxone and other related drugs for the treatment of suboxone, but only allows 100 clients per doctor. Radecki had numerous other doctors associated with his practice, and the total number of clients is estimated between 900 and 1,000.
“Anyone should seek treatment if they have an opiate addiction, but I’m not going to take a position on the use of Suboxone or Subutex as a treatment,” said Clarion County District Attorney Mark Aaron, “I really haven’t ever had anyone promote suboxone as a treatment for opiate addiction that wasn’t making money on it.”
Radecki was apparently authorized to write prescriptions and maintain his own pharmacy for supplying patients with suboxone.
Street value of suboxone
With Radecki’s practice closed, at least for the current time, one of the concerns now facing the community is an increase in the sale of the drugs on the street. Aaron confirms that both suboxone and subutex have been for sale on the street and purchased routinely by the drug task force.
“Depending on the dealer, the street value for suboxone bills is between $20 and $30 through buys made by the Clarion County Narcotics Enforcement Team (CNET),” said CNET director William Peck IV, “Most sellers seemed to be getting the drugs by selling their own script.”
Another related problem with removal of authorized suboxone prescriptions is a fear that people will return to hard drugs. Peck said that he fears an increase in heroin use following the closing of Radecki’s offices.
There are various county agencies that will be of some help in providing addiction treatment, but they are also seeing other drug problems on the rise in Clarion County.
Subutex bigger problem than Suboxone
Some local drug groups are seeing more problems with other drugs than just suboxone.
“We’re seeing more problems with Subutex than Suboxone, but we’re seeing addiction issues with both drugs,” stated Kami Anderson, executive director of the Armstrong, Indiana, Clarion Drug and Alcohol Commission.
“We are seeing people who are addicted to both of the prescription drugs,” continued Anderson, “Subutex will allow the user to experience more of a high than the suboxone. Subutex is largely designed for pregnant women that are addicted to opiates or people that have an allergic reaction to suboxone.”
Anderson said the Commission has had a number of calls from people who are looking where they can transfer their prescriptions or new doctors.
Anderson added, “There is a website (https://www.samhsa.gov/) that we have been directing clients, and it will tell you doctors that are prescribing suboxone products. Unfortunately, a lot of those doctors have long waiting lists, and people cannot get appointments with them immediately.”
“Drug free treatment options are always offered through the Commission, through Arc Manor, or other contracted providers. If someone is in withdrawal from not being able to get their Suboxone of Subutex, we urge them to call the 800-323-1333 number for Arc Manor, and Arc will do what’s called a screening, possibly an assessment, and then be able to refer that person to a treatment service,” stated Anderson.
The Commission also offers the following programs:
- Here to Help support line 866-973-HERE
- Treatment Match.org, a free service of the National Alliance of Advocates for Buprenorphine Treatment
- www.naabt.org
“We offer buprenorphine programs in Armstrong and Indiana Counties at The Open Door Alcohol and other Drug Treatment Center in Indiana and ARC Manor in Clarion at Seventh Avenue 3-5 days per week,” concluded Anderson.
ARC Manor offers treatment services
Callers with treatment needs or questions are often referred to ARC Manor Addiction Recovery Center headquartered in Kittanning.
“ARC Manor offers treatment services, but it does not prescribe medications,” said Cynthia C. McCrea, executive director of Arc Manor, “For clients attending our Intensive Outpatient services, they are seen for a combination of group and individual services six or more hours weekly, usually at least three days per week.”
ARC’s main mission is to provide counseling services, and McCrea feels that services are necessary in helping a person get off drugs.
“We can assist people in finding authorized doctors, and we have clients that are on medications, but we recommend treatment in conjunction with suboxone, added McCrea, “We think it is essential.”
ARC has not noticed a large spike in clients since the closing of Radecki’s offices.
McCrea said, “We received some calls for referrals when it was first announced, but overall we’re not seeing a difference in referrals.”
There is a shortage of authorized doctors who will accept new patients because of a law that limits each doctor to 100 patients. The Addiction Outreach Clinic in Clarion is the only facility in Clarion County that prescribes suboxone, and it reportedly is not accepting new patients.
“Our services are offered in Clarion at 214 S. 7th Avenue, so clients do not have to travel to Kittanning to receive services,” said McCrea, “We have outpatient individual, outpatient group, and intensive outpatient services open Monday through Friday at the Clarion office, and we are adding a partial hospitalization service — 15 hours of group and individual therapy per week — to that office in the very near future to meet the client needs.”
Clients that need residential treatment are often referred to the main office in Kittanning.
In addition to treating people for people with addictions connected with suboxone at ARC, McCrea worries about the impact of synthetic drugs on Clarion County.
Synthetic marijuana and bath salts getting bad in Clarion County
“There are a lot of synthetic drugs in Clarion County that we are worried about right now,” said McCrea, “Synthetic marijuana, such as K2, or Spice, and bath salts are getting really bad in Clarion County. The drug that is being marketed as ‘bath salts’ has no similarity to what people think of when they hear the word bath salts, like what might be sold at stores like Bed, Bath, and Beyond. The bath salt drug is definitely available, cheap, and usually sold in small packets. It is so prevalent that we’ve even added bath salts to our drug tests.”
Stay with exploreclarion.com for continued coverage of the drug problems that face Clarion County.
