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Data shows 3 Americans call poison control every minute due to medication error

Posted at 7:42 AM, Aug 10, 2017
and last updated 2017-08-10 10:42:40-04

Opioid addiction and abuse continuing to grow in the country may not be the only problem.

New data shows that three Americans call poison control every minute due to medication error.

Four out of 10 mistakes involve painkillers. In Kern County, however, there is a bigger case of meth addiction.

"Meth is easily accessible... It also is quite inexpensive. Whereas pills and heroine and stuff is much more expensive, so we don't generally see that," Elizabeth Bailey, Substance Division Supervisor at Kern Behavioral Health said.

The epidemic is being addressed through the drug medical waiver, as well as an expansion of adolescent services.