...| The Addiction of America | The Abuse of Prescription Drugs in the United States | Sean Barnes | Western Governors University | 12/19/2014 | The abuse of prescription drugs in the United States has reached epidemic proportions and continues to get worse. Most people, however, do not realize how big the problem really is. It continues to get worse every year and it demands our attention. In 2011, just three short years ago, an estimated 52 million people in the United States over the age of 12 had used prescription drugs for a non-medical reason (National survey on drug use, 2011). The most commonly abused prescription drugs are pain relievers. Why are people abusing these drugs and where do they get them? This paper will attempt to answer those questions as well as pose a possible solution on how it can be corrected. Analyzing the Problem To begin, we must first take a look at why so many American citizens are abusing prescription drugs. Most will probably tell us that they became addicted to pain relievers after some sort of horrible accident or surgery. They were prescribed these medications by their Primary Care Provider and told to take them in the correct manner, which are usually one or two tablets/pills every four to six hours apart, as needed for pain. What they were probably not told by their Primary Care Provider is that they should not take them sooner than directed, nor should they take them whenever they are not experiencing pain. The directions on...
Words: 1762 - Pages: 8
...Prescription medication abuse James Glassman COM/172 December 22, 2011 University of Phoenix Sheila Bassoppo-Moyo, Ed.D. Prescription medication abuse In this research paper you will find that obtaining prescription medication is easier than going to find illegal drugs. Another, disturbing problem is the amount of deaths in the United States each year caused by the abuse of prescription medication. Some questions you might find yourself asking are why is this a problem, how can we resolve this problem, what are some long term effects from abuse of prescription medication, and what is the government planning to do to help resolve this issue? In recent years the abuse with prescription medications has come to a ridiculous number in the last decade across the world. I hope this paper helps you understand the significance of this worldwide problem. What is prescription medication abuse? Prescription medication abuse is when someone takes medication prescribed by doctor in a manner or dosage other than prescribed, or when someone takes prescription medication from somebody else and uses it in a manner or dosage other than prescribed (na, 2011). Abuse can include taking a friends or relatives’ prescription to get high, to relieve pain, or help with medical issue without seeing a physician. There is a reason why prescription medications are prescribed by a doctor, prescription medications are dangerous when taken with other medications or not taken properly. In many cases...
Words: 1635 - Pages: 7
...Prescription Drug Abuse Prescription drugs have become increasingly dangerous to young people in the United States. In fact, prescription drugs do not only appeal to adults anymore, but are quickly becoming the drug of choice among young people. According the CDC, after cannabis, prescription drugs are the most common drugs used by people 14 and older. Because of availability, effects, and lack of knowledge about what these drugs can do, prescription drugs are becoming a greater danger to you people than marijuana. Perhaps one reason why prescription drug use is becoming more popular among young people is because they are so easy to get. Many young people can get prescription drugs from his or her home. Some parents leave prescriptions in unlocked medicine cabinets, or leave leftover prescriptions lying around where kids can easily get them. Disposing of your old prescriptions responsibly can easily prevent this. There are many drug take-back programs available. Unfortunately, some kids may have parents who are addicts themselves, so his or her parents may end up sharing drugs with their kids. Of course, there are other ways for young people to obtain prescription drugs. Another way these prescription drugs can be obtained is if a doctor prescribes them. Many addicts engage in an act called “doctor shopping”. Doctor shopping is when a patient tries to get prescription drugs from multiple doctors without each doctor knowing. These people may sell or use the drugs,...
Words: 816 - Pages: 4
... Rough Draft Turner Comp 2 Is Prescription Drug Abuse an Epidemic? Many people especially the younger generation, ages starting at twelve years old have turned to the abuse of prescription drugs. The most commonly misused prescription drugs are painkillers (opioids), antidepressants, and anxiety medication. People claim addiction is a choice, but according to science addiction is considered a brain disease due to the fact that it alters the brain permanently by changing the structure of the brain itself and how it works. Some say the huge sting made over prescription drug abuse is all over exaggerated and they blame the media. But how can you make the claim that the abuse of prescription drugs isn’t a huge epidemic? The 2010 Nation Survey of Drug use and Health states that 2.4 million Americans have used prescription drugs non medically within the last year with ages 18-25 being the highest of users. Evidence proves that prescription drug abuse is an epidemic in the United States today, and those who disagree rely on blaming the media for falsely portraying the intensity of prescription drug abuse. People often think everything is okay as long as it’s not right in front of their faces, and too many people have turned a blind eye to this dangerous addiction. It is time for people to realize the real issues prescription drug abuse is causing and how quickly it has become such a dangerous epidemic. How did this epidemic...
Words: 1918 - Pages: 8
...Drug Profile Drug Profile * * Addiction is an escape of experiencing control it is an illusion and a mood altering experience. A pathological relationship with life-threatening or negative consequences, it is the experience that is addicting. People can become addicted to anything that alters our mood or consciousness. Addiction can be about self-harm and when done repeatedly it will stop or ease emotional pain that a person may be going through. An individual’s addiction can show an increased psychological and physiological dependence on the substance, and the person will cannot live a normal life. A drug addicted person will become unable to cope without the drug they are addicted too. Addiction can lead to antisocial behavior, violence; crime of all sorts, even murder to get what they want. Giving up drug addiction takes strength, mind strength mostly because the mind is responsible for the addiction. It is the beginning of addiction and the end of addiction. The mind and the body crave pleasure and stimulate neurotransmitters in the brain and the addiction finds pleasure in the drugs and the sensation itself. Any withdrawals from the drug will bring about depression, irritability, suicidal thoughts, restlessness, and anxiety. Addiction is mind control and can be overcome if the person wants, learning about his or her condition will give insight and understanding as why he or she may be addicted. There are three categories that certain drugs can share and have...
Words: 1252 - Pages: 6
...University Over the Counter, Over Prescribed Prescription Drug Abuse Over the Counter, Over Prescribed Prescription Drug Abuse When describing a drug addict, the stereotypical description is usually someone who has no job, steals to get their fix, and is living their life in poverty because of their crippling addiction. The drug of choice for these “junkies” is typically black tar heroin. However in recent years this has not been the case. The age of prescription drugs is beginning and people are dying from prescription drug overdoses at an alarming rate. According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA), as seen in Figure 1 found in the Appendix, in 2010 there were 8.76 million prescription drug abusers (Drug Facts: Prescription and Over-the-Counter Medications). Prescription drug abuse has become an epidemic in America and it is not isolated to the stereotypical addict, as doctors and emergency response teams are seeing more and more overdoses and individuals seeking medical attention who are in the upper middle class and lead a fairly “normal” life besides their addiction. The NIDA found that there are around 5.1 million people in the US suffer from substance abuse disorders related to prescription pain relievers (Figure 1, Appendix). Although pain killer abuse gets a lot of the prescription drug abuse headlines, there are other medications that are being abused namely stimulants. Because over the counter and prescription medicines are so easy to obtain and the stigma...
Words: 4393 - Pages: 18
...city. But, what people don’t know is that Guelph is on the raise of having a community addicted to prescription pain killers, one in particular, Oxycodone. Narcotic pain relievers; Oxycodone, Morphine, and Dilaudid are surfacing on Guelph streets fast and Guelph police are trying to do everything they can to stop these drugs from destroying the streets of Guelph. “Approximately $70, 000 in drugs and cash has been seized as part of an ongoing effort to crack-down on the trafficking of prescription drugs in Guelph”(Project Scripts, 2010). This is a good sign that Guelph police are taking steps towards a safer city, and having special tactical teams that can crack-down on the trafficking of prescription drugs. If Guelph police can seize prescription drugs one bust at a time, it shows addicts and drug dealers that Guelph police are not going to let drugs destroy their city. Prescription drugs are a dangerous drug since they can be prescribed by doctors, people can get them from any corner drug store, and police can not arrest or seize drugs from a person if they have a prescription. Therefore, Guelph police involvement is critical in prescription drugs and its effect on people, spin off crimes due to prescribed drugs, and pharmacies/doctors being more aware of what they are prescribing. Prescription drugs also known as pain killers are on the raise to being known as the most addicting drugs. Oxycodone, Morphine, and Fentanyl are all highly addicted drugs that people are taking that...
Words: 2109 - Pages: 9
...The Role of Traumatic Event History in Non-Medical Use of Prescription Drugs is credible. The article has nine authors. The authors all have Ph.Ds. The authors are affiliated with The Medical University of South Carolina, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and The VA Medical Center.(McCauley et al., 2009) The study was credible because the study was currently up to date and has been an issue.Knowing that the authors have background knowledge of medical history, studies, and other related knowledge to do the study and know what to look for helped estimate the possible results. The study had many participants nationally, which made the study and authors credible and more evident.Using the article helped explain why this is a problem...
Words: 484 - Pages: 2
...Prescription drug abuse has been a growing problem in society over the past few years. These drugs are so widely available, easy to get, and they have increased in popularity. The potential for abuse is very high with prescriptions narcotics and they have attracted a variety of age groups. Doctors will often prescribe these medications to individuals based on their claims they are in pain. While there are people who desperately need these drugs, a fraction of people who obtain them will either resale them, abuse them, or use them to get others addicted. While there has been legislation passed to fight this problem, it is just not enough. As long as a person has a valid prescription they can use the drugs as they see fit, while law enforcement officers are powerless to act. Not only has the use of prescription medication been a growing trend in society, but is has attracted a much younger age group. Observations by school officials and police officers have witnessed a growing number of school age children experimenting with prescription drugs. According to Robert DuPont, “an ongoing problem is the use of prescription drugs among younger people. Studies conducted in 2008 indicated that 4.7% of high school seniors used OxyContin, 9.7% have used Vicodin, 5.8% used sedatives, 6.2% used tranquilizers, and 2.4% have used Ritalin” (DuPont, 2010 pp. 128). Children can obtain these prescription drugs from their parents without their knowledge and develop a substance abuse problem. ...
Words: 1007 - Pages: 5
...Generic Prescription Drug Costs Prescription drugs have been causing problems in the United States for a very long time. Pharmaceutical companies are one of the largest profiting global industries. It was in 2009 when drug shortages increased with numbers reaching what many have termed crisis level which raised all prices of generic prescription drugs significantly (Fox, Sweet, & Jensen, 2014). This increase was and still is leaving patients with a life threatening decision; either go on paying for their prescriptions which they cannot afford or stop their treatment all together and risk their illness progressing and leading to possible death. Some have chosen to end their treatment altogether, while other patients have confessed to taking dangerous measures to ensure their refills last longer like cutting their pills in half or skipping doses. The United States drug manufacturers are raising prices endlessly without regulation. Instead of generic brand medication being affordable, they are creating their own monopolies and setting their prices just as competitively as name brands. Instead of buying and stocking manufacturers with raw materials from within the United States, they source raw materials from overseas creating delays and a huge shortage in raw materials has surfaced. Instead of keeping the FDA in the loop as to what is going on in the production process, manufacturers wait until the very last minute to report a problem which goes against all rules, regulations...
Words: 3188 - Pages: 13
...Samuel Mazzie “Did you know America ranks the lowest in education but the highest in drug use? It's nice to be number one, but we can fix that. All we need to do is start the war on education. If it's anywhere near as successful as our war on drugs, in no time we'll all be hooked on phonics” (Leighann Lord). Illegal drug use has become a huge danger to society and future generations. As someone who has personally dealt with drug addiction in my family, I am tired of seeing people constantly damage themselves by abusing prescription drugs. My sister has been in rehab facilities two times in the last year and still continues to abuse drugs. Easy access to prescription drugs is resulting in increasing levels of addiction; therefore, corrective action must be taken to monitor the amount of drugs doctors prescribe, rehab facilities should be restructured to allow stays longer than 30 days, and friends and family should be more aware of the warning signs of drug addiction. People need to take action to prevent illegal drug use starting in their own homes and in schools. Obtaining prescription drugs from doctors has become way too easy causing more people to become addicted. Doctors should be monitored to see the amount of addictive drugs prescribed. There are doctors who are more concerned with their personal wealth then the well being of their patient. “An arrest warrant affidavit says Houghton would prescribe medication to some patients for $100 without a medical...
Words: 1387 - Pages: 6
... A Research Essay About Why College Students Are Using and Abusing Stimulants To Get By February, 2014 Abstract Prescription stimulant use as academic performance enhancers is increasingly widespread among college students and the prescription stimulant use as "cognitive enhancers" has been described among undergraduate college students. Adderall and Ritalin are the most popular among the students. Some use the drugs to stay awake to study to get by with good grades, even with acknowledgement of the dangers of using. However, the use of prescription stimulants among future graduated students is at risk. Table of Contents Abstract…………………………………………………………………………………... 2 Chapter 1 ……………………………………………………………………………..….. 4 Purpose of the Study ……………………………………..……………… 4 Statement …………………………………………………..……………. 4 Research Questions …………………………………………..…………. 5 Significance of the Study ……………………………………..………… 5 Delimitation ……………………………………………..……………… 5 Definition of Terms …………………………………………..………… 6 Chapter 2 Literature Review…………………………………………………………….. 7 Chapter 3 Research Methods …………………………………………………………… 18 References ………………………………………………………….…………………… 22 Appendix A ……………………………………………………………………………… 23 Dean’s List and More Nature of Study If you are a full time student with heavy load of courses while working to support your lifestyle, then you will be worrying where you can find the time. Undergraduate college students do stress out daily worrying...
Words: 4336 - Pages: 18
...INTRODUCTION: Prescription drug abuse is using a prescribed drug by a person to obtain just for the experience. Many people and teenagers or adults have turned to abusing prescription drugs. Some people have an increased risk of getting addicted to drugs, pressure from peers also have a significant impact. Abusing these drugs have harmful effects to people, people who abuses prescription drugs can also affect the people around them greatly. These people may have difficulties in their life including problems with family, friends or rivals. Abusers are most likely to go to many different doctors to get prescriptions from them so they can get a large supply of their drug. They are also more likely to get into trouble with the law because of buying the drug on the street or due to an increased tendency to steal so they can be able to buy more. People who abuse prescription drugs are more. BODY: Most people take medications responsibly, however the non-medical use or abuse of prescription drugs or medications remains as a serious health concern. If you take a medicine in a way different from what the doctor prescribed then it is called drug abuse and it could be in the form of taking a medicine that is not prescribed for you, taking in a dose more than you need to, taking prescribed drugs in different ways like crushing tablets and snorting or injecting them and using medicines just so that you can get high. Certain prescribed drugs can alter the brain’s activity and can lead...
Words: 476 - Pages: 2
...There is a drug crisis in America, but it is not the only crisis America is facing. I would say that there is a health crisis in America more so than a drug crisis. Even though the number of drug related deaths is quite high, there are still more health related deaths. In 2013, Heart Disease caused more than 600,000 deaths alone (Center for Disease Control, 2013) That being said, I do not think that drugs alone are killing America and that is the most serious issue we face. I still agree that drug use and abuse is a problem in America, and that this issue does need to be dealt with, but it is not our only problem. If America is going to focus on this drug issue, then it must recognize all drugs. Society is constantly placing the blame solely...
Words: 1127 - Pages: 5
...examination of prescription painkillers Prescription painkillers or opiates have become a serious problem across the world. These painkillers are prescribed to patients who are suffering from severe pain, usually after a major surgery. These types of painkillers are effective and helpful but they can also do serious damage. The major problem with these painkillers is that they are highly addictive and can be deadly if too many are taken. Even though they have these effects, they are still being prescribed to patients everywhere. A close examination of the short-term effects, long-term effects, how opiates work, and addiction, will show why prescription painkillers are dangerous. Taking opiates or prescription...
Words: 982 - Pages: 4
