Millions Misuse Prescription Drugs
Millions Misuse Prescription Drugs
April 10, 2001 (Washington) -- Medical experts gathered here today to remind Americans that drug abuse and addiction are often not about illegal substances but prescription medications from the neighborhood drugstore.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) at the National Institutes of Health estimates that 4 million people aged 12 or older -- 2% of that age group -- used prescription drugs for nonmedical purposes in 1999.
With this kind of misuse and abuse, NIDA Director Alan Leshner, PhD, said today that the negative public health impact is "phenomenal" on the workplace, home, and family. "While prescription drugs can relieve a variety of medical problems and improve the lives of millions of Americans, they can be dangerous, addicting, and even deadly when used nonmedically," he said.
National associations representing family physicians, chain drugstores, community pharmacies, druggists, and drugmakers joined NIDA in announcing a national initiative to increase public awareness of the problem.
According to NIDA, the three most commonly abused classes of drugs are:
But as the country starts to move to greater acceptance of pain as a "vital sign" for patients, many experts are trying to convince doctors to prescribe opioids less restrictively. Leshner said today that if used appropriately, opioids bear little risk of addiction. According to NIDA, most of those who get addicted to them have a history of psychological problems or substance abuse.
Karla Birkholz, MD, a Phoenix doctor and board member of the American Academy of Family Physicians, tells WebMD that patient prescription abuse has been a longtime problem in medical practice. "It's a regular thing that we encounter all of the time. There are all kinds of classic clues. You know, 'The dog ate my pills,' 'It spilled down the toilet.' I've heard it all."
Millions Misuse Prescription Drugs
April 10, 2001 (Washington) -- Medical experts gathered here today to remind Americans that drug abuse and addiction are often not about illegal substances but prescription medications from the neighborhood drugstore.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) at the National Institutes of Health estimates that 4 million people aged 12 or older -- 2% of that age group -- used prescription drugs for nonmedical purposes in 1999.
With this kind of misuse and abuse, NIDA Director Alan Leshner, PhD, said today that the negative public health impact is "phenomenal" on the workplace, home, and family. "While prescription drugs can relieve a variety of medical problems and improve the lives of millions of Americans, they can be dangerous, addicting, and even deadly when used nonmedically," he said.
National associations representing family physicians, chain drugstores, community pharmacies, druggists, and drugmakers joined NIDA in announcing a national initiative to increase public awareness of the problem.
According to NIDA, the three most commonly abused classes of drugs are:
- Opioids, which include potent pain medications such as morphine, codeine, and related drugs. Brand-name pharmaceuticals include OxyContin, Vicodin, and Darvon.
- Central nervous system depressants, or tranquilizers, prescribed for anxiety and sleep disorders. These include the barbiturates Mebaral and Nembutal, and the benzodiazepines Valium, Librium, and Xanax.
- Stimulants, used for treating attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, obesity, and narcolepsy. These drugs include Dexedrine, Ritalin, and Meridia.
But as the country starts to move to greater acceptance of pain as a "vital sign" for patients, many experts are trying to convince doctors to prescribe opioids less restrictively. Leshner said today that if used appropriately, opioids bear little risk of addiction. According to NIDA, most of those who get addicted to them have a history of psychological problems or substance abuse.
Karla Birkholz, MD, a Phoenix doctor and board member of the American Academy of Family Physicians, tells WebMD that patient prescription abuse has been a longtime problem in medical practice. "It's a regular thing that we encounter all of the time. There are all kinds of classic clues. You know, 'The dog ate my pills,' 'It spilled down the toilet.' I've heard it all."
