New Study Shows Fourfold Increase in Substance Abuse Treatment Admissions Involving Non-Medical Use of Prescription Narcotic Pain Relievers in Ten Year Period (1998-2008).
This dramatic rise in the proportion of admissions associated with the abuse of these drugs occurred among nearly all segments of the population regardless of age, gender, educational level and employment status.
The proportion of all substance abuse treatment admissions of those aged 12 and older involving abuse of prescription pain relievers rose by over 400 percent from 2.2 percent in 1998 to 9.8 percent in 2008 according to a new study be the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
The upward trend also held true among admissions for which medication-assisted opioid therapies, such as methadone or buprenorphine, were planned. Since 1998 the proportion of medication-assisted therapy admissions involving prescription pain reliever abuse tripled from 6.8 percent to 26.5 percent.
Other growing problems associated with the misuse of prescription pain relievers were recently highlighted in a SAMHSA study released last month which found that emergency visits to hospitals involving the non-medical use of prescription narcotic pain relievers more than doubled between 2004 and 2008.
“The non-medical use of prescription pain-relievers is now the second most prevalent form of illicit drug use in the nation, and its tragic consequences are seen in substance abuse treatment centers and hospital emergency departments throughout our nation” said SAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde.
“Our national prescription drug abuse problem cannot be ignored. I have worked in the treatment field for the last 35 years, and recent trends regarding the extent of prescription drug abuse are startling,” said A. Thomas McLellan, Deputy Director of ONDCP. “We must work with prescribers, the pharmaceutical industry, and families to help us fight this scourge.”
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Prescription drugs are second only to marijuana in popularity. The ease of obtaining pharmaceutical medication contributes to the prevalence of its abuse.
People tend to turn towards such practices because the government isn’t taking necessary measures. Methods of acquiring prescription drugs for abuse include “doctor-shopping,” traditional drug-dealing, theft from pharmacies or homes, illicitly acquiring prescription drugs via the Internet, and from friends or relatives. If the government pays even a little attention towards these causes then there would be a lowering of numbers.
Prescription pain relievers are new drug users’ drug of choice, vs. marijuana or cocaine. Opioid painkillers now cause more drug overdose deaths than cocaine and heroin combined. I guess this is the reason people now have started taking it a bit seriously.
This is something that we can’t doubt. There’s a problem in kids and adults.
Adults are turning to pharmaceuticals MUCH too fast. Drugged up adults are not the role-models we need for our kids.
Kids are growing up too fast. And looking into their parents over-stuffed medicine cabinets. Kids are curious, but this is different.