Prescription Drug Abuse Essay

This was a vicious cycle then and still is a vicious cycle now. With doctors handing out prescriptions, such as opiates nonchalantly to patients that have minor conditions such as a pulled muscle, it is more than likely fueling drug abuse like gasoline to a fire. Although, if someone has ever had to receive medication that requires more effort than grabbing it off of the convenience store shelf, realize that pharmacists now cannot legally distribute prescription medication without one 's’ personal prescription. The Encyclopedia of Alcohol and Drugs in North America also notes that Vicodin and Xanax earn the title as two of the most commonly prescribed drugs distributed by doctors and also reside as the most commonly abused prescription drugs in United States.

Millions of people throughout the world are taking drugs on a daily basis. If you were to ask someone why they take prescription drugs, most people would be taking them for the right reason. However, it’s estimated that twenty percent of people in the United States alone have used prescription drugs for non-medical reasons.1 Prescription drug abuse is a serious and growing problem that often goes unnoticed. Abusing these drugs can often lead to addiction and even death. You can develop an addiction to certain drugs that may include: narcotic painkillers, sedatives, tranquilizers, and stimulants.1 Prescription drugs are the most common abused category of drugs, right next to marijuana, cocaine, heroin, and

Prescription drug abuse has been around since doctors started prescribing medication, but widespread prescription drug abuse and addiction has only surfaced in the last 20 years or so. Unfortunately because these drugs are continued to be abuse widely, there are concerns for physicians who are legitimately prescribing these medications to patients who truly need them. However there are doctors who recklessly prescribe these drugs to unknowing patients who form addictions to them. Prescription medications commonly abused include opioids often prescribed to treat pain, central nervous system depressants used to treat anxiety, and stimulants used for the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) as well as some sleeping disorders.

The first being dependent patients who may be intentionally or inadvertently misusing their medications. Although this group may have genuine pain problems, some patients have become dependent as they rely on the drugs to improve how they feel or difficulties trying to cope with challenges in their life. Inadvertent dependence can arise from various reasons such as inappropriate prescribing, limited health literacy, poorly formed medication instructions or lack of communication by health care providers. The second group that abuses pharmaceutical drugs are those who use these medications for non-medical purposes. These individuals may be obtaining the medicines for self-treating purposes, personal recreational use or to trade on to others who abuse

Despite efforts to decrease the number of deaths and overdoses related to narcotic medications, such as OxyContin, and minimize the number of people illegally obtaining them, the measures that the DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) in specific are taking are not enough. The literal definition of a narcotic is a drug that produces numbness or stupor; often taken for pleasure or to reduce pain; extensive use can lead to addiction. Narcotics are normally prescription medications that are given to patients to help ease the constant pain cause by cancer or other long term illnesses.

There are many prescription medications that doctors prescribe to improve the health and lives of their patients. However, even drugs that come from doctors and pharmacies can be abused. As doctors around the country write more prescriptions, the number of people who abuse prescription drugs also increases.

Even though people need their prescriptions, the abuse of them is getting out of control and we need to find a way to regulate it better,because it can destroy a family, cause some to become addicted, or even kill them. Prescription drugs are no joke, they can be worse than illegal drugs like marijuana, cocaine, and even heroin. The only difference is a doctor can prescribe these types of drugs. The problem we run into with prescription drugs is there is not enough being done to keep the person from becoming addicted or them selling to others. In 2007 2.5 million Americans abused just painkillers (Drug free world). That is not even including the other two types. Now it is starting to affect teens, one out of every ten teenagers admit to abusing a prescribed drug(Drug-free world).

Prescribed medication has become one of the top three leading drugs used and abused by teenagers in America. According to Elizabeth Larsen, “The Centers for Disease Control classifies prescription drug abuse as the worst drug epidemic in United States history” (Larsen p.4). This is the worst drug epidemic in history because of the percentage of teenage usage. Based on different studies, pills are the most commonly abused drug among twelve- and thirteen- year olds because of how easy they are to access. In fact, many teens that abuse prescription medication has admitted that they, even with a substance addiction, still receive prescriptions from their doctor. The teenage usage of prescription medication could be prevented with better

Years ago, the common image of an adolescent drug abuser was a teen trying to escape from reality on illegal substances like cocaine, heroin, or marijuana. Today, there is a great discrepancy between that perception and the reality of who is likely to abuse drugs. A teenage drug abuser might not have to look any further than his or her parent’s medicine chest to ‘score.’ Prescription drug abuse by teens is on the rise. Also, teens are looking to prescription drugs to fulfill different needs other than to feel good or escape the pressures of adulthood. Teens may be just as likely to resort to drugs with ‘speedy’ side effects, like Ritalin to help them study longer, as they are to use prescription

Prescription medications have improved the overall well beings of patients worldwide with many new drugs hitting the market in the past decade. These drugs which are prescribed by the general practitioners and specialist to treat various ailments were diverted and abused by people leading to the inception of a drug epidemic that prompted centre for disease control to declare the condition as a “public health epidemic”, under its priority projects. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 15.1 million people in the US abuse prescription drug which is 50 times higher than heroin (Fischer, Rehm, Patra, & Cruz, 2006; Joseph A. Califano, 2005).

Drug use in America is one of the major issues we face and the problem has skyrocketed over the past three decades. Heroin and painkiller addictions exceed all other countries. It is important that we address some of the causes that lead to the abuse, how to treat the abuse, and how to prevent the distribution of illegal prescription drugs.

Specific purpose: To inform my audience about the growing problem of prescription drug abuse, some common drugs that cause abuse, and their effects and some common treatments.

     After reviewing the case study provided it is very evident that Matt has a substance abuse problem. He is a college student who is struggling to find a sense of belonging. He spends a great deal of time alone worrying about the financial burden he is placing on his family. His mother currently reported concern with Matt’s drinking habits, because her husband is a recovering alcoholic. His friends and roommate are suspicious about his use of alcohol and possibly even other substances such as cocaine.

Now that we know all about Pharmacists, let's get to know the problem: prescription drugs. Some prescription drugs have mind-altering affects on the body, and for that reason are abused. People abuse drugs by taking them for reasons other than prescribed by the

Teenagers usually between age fourteen and eighteen are abusing prescription drugs more often. Some of these teenagers have no desire and no thought in their head to stop abusing prescription drugs. The Brown University Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology Update says, “OxyContin abuse dropped among twelfth graders from 5.5% in 2005 to 4.6% in 2006. However, there have been no similar declines in eighth to tenth graders” (8). Rates in younger teenager OxyContin abuse have no declines at all unlike older teenage groups. It is not only one group of teen and it is not only one group of medications, it is multiple teens using multiple kinds of prescription drugs. The Brown University Child and Adolescent Behavior Letter gave results from a survey including the following, “18% of teens reported abusing Vicodin”, “1 in 10 reported using OxyContin” and “1 in 10 teen has tried the prescription stimulants Ritalin and/or Adderall without a prescription” (4). These results