Monday Map: Painkiller Addictions and Public Health

Speculation that Michael Jackson's death could have been caused by an overdose of Demerol has sparked renewed discussion of the prescription drug epidemic in the U.S.

The map above shows the prevalence of nonmedical use of painkillers like OxyContin and Demerol across the country. Although it's a national problem, the worst of it comes in the south and west, and the epicenter of the problem is not in cities but in rural America.

Of the 15 local regions above with the highest rates of painkiller abuse, 10 are in the west and five are in the south.

This growing epidemic has tangled thousands of individuals in the criminal justice system, and there are plenty of people serving extended sentences for abusing pills when they'd be better served by treatment. But the discussion about pill addiction comes much closer to a public health framework than the view of illegal narcotics like cocaine and marijuana, which are still seen primarily as a public safety and crime issue.

This could be because pill users tend to be wealthier than those who abuse other substances, and defendants with more resources have better access serves to treatment and serve less prison time. It's also because the drugs themselves are used in medical practice, making it easier to connect the dots between drug abuse and public health.

Efforts to treat and avoid painkiller addictions should be expanded, especially in the counties and states shaded red above. And perhaps looking at all drugs through the lens we see painkillers could help move the discussion forward on treatment over incarceration.