While illegal opioid use is on the rise across the country, Arizona’s fastest-growing drug problem is with women taking legal drug prescriptions.

Dr. Mazda Shirazi with Arizona Poison and Drug Information is tracking the spike. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, accidental opioid deaths climbed by 237 percent for men between 1999 to 2010, compared with 400 percent in that same time frame for women.

“We’re seeing,” for example, said Shirazi, “working women between 45 and 55 have had one of the highest rises in non-intentional deaths.”

In these cases, he made it clear, they were not experimenting with drugs.

“Nor were they trying to harm themselves,” he continued, “this is not suicidal ideation.  These are prescription drugs that are available, and they’re taking too much of it to treat their condition or mixing it with other agents.”

The deadliest opioid combination, he said, are benzodiazepines, usually in brand names of Valium or Xanax.

Part of the issue, Shirazi said, is women in their 40s and 50s are sometimes prescribed opioids for routine aches and pains by one doctor and then unwittingly prescribed a sedative-hypnotic for anxiety, sleep or mood-disorders by another doctor.

“So, the combination of pain and anti-anxiety medications have proven to be very high risk in terms of causing morbidity and mortality,” Shirazi clarified.

Shirazi said it’s one of several reasons he is urging state lawmakers pass a bill at the Capitol allowing Arizonans to buy the opioid antidote Narcan over the counter.