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A recent murder/robbery in the state of New York claiming the lives of a pharmacist, clerk and two customers has drawn attention to a serious national trend. Continue Reading
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It’s no secret that America has a dirty little problem with prescription painkillers. The problem has gotten so out of hand that the Obama administration has deemed the issue an epidemic, Continue Reading
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National Physician Organizations On Board With Federal Plan to Reduce Prescription Drug Abuse
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May 16, 2011Enthusiasm for federal initiatives to reduce prescription drug abuse problems is growing. Continue Reading
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It is common knowledge that pain killers tend to be some of the most abused prescription medications available today. Opioids, specifically are some of the worst with regard to habit formation, leading to addiction. Opioids are part of a group of pain killers that include the likes of Vicodin, OxyContin, and Percocet that work by suppressing the perception of pain in the central nervous system. Recipients develop an increased pain tolerance. The drugs also produce a sense of euphoria that lends itself to dependency.
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Thousands of newborns are exposed to opioids while in the womb, and more than half of them experience severe withdrawal symptoms that require opioid replacement treatment. This treatment usually requires long hospital stays, which interferes with the bonding between mother and infant.
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Several factors can contribute to developing an addiction, and researchers have come closer to solving the mystery of why some people become addicts and others don’t.
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A new research study from University at Buffalo found that 31 out of 75 patients hospitalized for opioid abuse said they became addicted to drugs that were prescribed by their doctor to treat pain. Twenty-four patients said they started using a friends’ leftover pills or stole from someone else. The other 20 patients said they became addicted to drugs they bought on the street. 92 percent of the patients ended up buying heroin and other drugs off the street, as they are easier to obtain and cheaper than prescription drugs.
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A new study conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) shows a soaring increase in the amount of admissions to addiction treatment facilities nationwide for prescription drug abuse. Across all demographics and regions, SAMHSA finds that admissions for prescription drug abuse had risen by 400% from 1998 to 2008.
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A substance similar to capsaicin, which gives chili peppers their heat, is generated at the site of pain in the human body. Scientists at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio have discovered how to block these capsaicin-like molecules and created a new class of non-addictive painkillers. The findings were published April 26 in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.
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A former University of Southern California (USC) assistant football coach stated in legal documents that he received prescriptions from team and university doctors he used to feed his addiction to painkillers, SportsIllustrated.com reported Monday.
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OxyContin and heroin are now being sold interchangeably on street corners, said Nils Frederiksen, a spokesman for the attorney general’s office in Pennsylvania. Oxycontin is a powerful narcotic painkiller that gives users a similar high to heroin.
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Healthcare workers in California who have abused drugs will face more stringent guidelines, the state said last week.
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North Carolina’s Columbus County was found to dispense the most prescription drugs in the entire state on a per capita basis. Columbus County Sheriff Chris Batten said prescription drug trafficking has surpassed the county’s cocaine and marijuana problem.
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Louisiana Doctor Arrested for Illegally Obtaining Prescription Medication
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November 17, 2009A doctor in Houma, Louisiana, has been accused of illegally obtaining medicine by writing his own prescriptions to feed his addiction to painkillers. David Caletri, 49, an oncologist, treats cancer patients at his practice in Houma. The Associated Press reports that he said he turned himself in to police Friday after being contacted by officers.
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Kansas City teenagers are increasingly getting hooked on prescription painkillers and eventually turning to heroin. About 18 months ago, police officers in Johnson County started finding that more and more victims of heroin overdose were high-school students.
