RESOURCES
ARTICLES OF INTEREST
Prescription drug addiction on rise
Health & Fitness
January 31, 2002
For thousands, prescription painkillers are a blessing.
Physician-prescribed drugs are indispensable in relieving painful medical conditions, such as cancer and arthritis, when used appropriately. However, the abuse and addiction of prescribed painkillers is on the rise nationwide: 4 million Americans are abusing prescription drugs. According to Dr. Michael S. Levy, medical director of the Center for Addiction Medicine in Las Vegas, addiction to prescribed painkillers has become a national health issue with local consequences.
A patient that takes and addictive drug over a long period of time may become dependent.
According to Levy, abusers snort or inject prescription painkillers for a narcotic rush that does more than eliminate physical pain. This type of illicit use dulls the senses and creates a feeling of well-being. Patients treated for acute or chronic pain rarely experience the feeling of euphoria associated with prescription drug abuse. One of the most popular methods of obtaining the drugs is “doctor hopping” for prescriptions from multiple physicians. While not every state has a prescription monitoring program, Nevada’s program has been a model for other states.