Street drugs such as heroin or crack cocaine are more likely to be used by the poor, whereas prescription drugs are more likely used by the rich.

Actor Heath Ledger died from 'acute intoxication' caused by an overdose of prescription drugs. Other celebrities have also been in the spotlight news such as Rush Limbaugh, Britney Spears, and Lindsay Lohan.

It has been reported that the misuse of prescriptions leads to prescription drugs addiction and now kills more Americans than illegal street drugs, approximately 20,000 a year, which is double 10 years ago.

According to the 2006 National Survey on Drug Use and Health about teenagers aged 12-17, prescription drugs are second only to marijuana in popularity, and in the past 15 years there has been a 140 per cent increase in abuse. It is the fastest-growing type of drug abuse in the US.
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Popularity: 21% [?]

A recent study, published in the Public Library of Science (PLoS Medicine Journal), looked at Prozac (fluoxetine), Seroxat (paroxetine), Effexor (venlafaxine) and Serzone (nefazodone) and found "the antidepressants do not produce clinically significant improvements in depression in patients who initially have moderate or even very severe depression."

The researchers conclude that there is little reason to prescribe new-generation antidepressant medications to any but the most severely depressed patients unless alternative treatments have been ineffective.

This is another reason not to take any prescription drugs such as the SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors)  mentioned above unless absolutely necessary!

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Popularity: 27% [?]

Teens abuse prescription drugs more than any other illicit drug, except marijuana; more than cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine combined.

Drug treatment admissions for prescription painkillers has increased more than 300 percent over the past 10 years. Teens are abusing prescription drugs because many believe the myth that these drugs provide a "safe" high. It is most troubling that a majority of teens who abuse prescription drugs say they are easy to obtain and many times free.

When prescription painkillers are used as prescribed, they can be of benefit. But now their abuse has become a serious public health concern along with an even greater concern for prescription drugs addictions.

Prescription drugs can be found in practically every home and parents can have immediate influence on stopping their teen from prescription drug abuse. Only a third of parents have discussed the risks of prescription drugs with their teen.

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Popularity: 20% [?]

The Controlled Substances Act (CSA) places all substances which were in some manner regulated under existing federal law into one of five schedules. This placement is based upon the substance's medical use, potential for abuse, and safety or dependence liability.

In determining into which schedule a drug or other substance should be placed, or whether a substance should be decontrolled or rescheduled, certain factors are required to be considered. Specific findings are not required for each factor. These factors are listed in Section 201 (c), [21 U.S.C. 811 (c)] of the CSA as follows:

1- The drug's actual or relative potential for abuse.
  

2- Scientific evidence of the drug's pharmacological effects. The state of knowledge with respect to the effects of a specific drug is, of course, a major consideration. For example, it is vital to know whether or not a drug has a hallucinogenic effect if it is to be controlled due to that effect. The best available knowledge of the pharmacological properties of a drug should be considered.

 

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Popularity: 17% [?]

OxyContin, a trade name for the narcotic oxycodone hydrochloride, is a time-release painkiller available by prescription.  It is prescribed for relief of moderate to severe pain from such things as injuries, bursitis, neuralgia, arthritis, and cancer. Designed to be swallowed whole and digested over 12 hours, the pills can produce a heroin-like high if crushed and then swallowed, snorted or injected. As a street drug, it is commonly called OC, OX, Oxy, Oxycotton, Hillbilly heroin, and kicker.

From 1996 to 2001, the number of oxycodone-related deaths nationwide increased five-fold while the annual number of OxyContin prescriptions increased nearly 20-fold, according to a report by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

According to a recent news report from Roanoke, VA, the maker of OxyContin, Purdue Pharma L.P., its president, top lawyer and former chief medical officer will pay $634.5 million in fines for claiming the drug was less addictive and less subject to abuse than other pain medications. This was a rare time where the federal government actually followed through and won a judgement against a drug company. But it is still just a slap in the face for the billions of dollars the company makes on the drug.
More information available here:
news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070510/ap_on_bi_ge/oxycontin_plea

 

Additional Facts About OxyContin

SIDE EFFECTS:
Constipation, dryness of the mouth, confusion, sedation, light-headedness, respiratory depression, nausea, vomiting, headache, sweating

SYMPTOMS OF OVERDOSE:
Slow breathing, seizures, dizziness, weakness, loss of consciousness, coma, confusion, cold or clammy skin, small pupils

Inexperienced and new users are at particular risk, because they may be unaware of what constitutes a large dose and have not developed a tolerance for the drug. In addition, OxyContin abusers who inject the drug expose themselves to additional risks, including contracting HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), hepatitis B and C, and other blood-borne viruses.

WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS:
Restlessness, muscle and bone pain, insomnia, diarrhea, vomiting, cold flashes, and involuntary leg movements

There is no single type of addiction treatment which is appropriate for individuals addicted to prescription drugs.  If you are addicted, we strongly urge you to seek out holistic doctors that can help you get off of all drugs including street drugs.

Popularity: 21% [?]

According to a National Institute on Drug Abuse research report, there are three classes of prescription drugs that are most commonly abused:

1- opioids, which are most often prescribed to treat pain — examples include: codeine, oxycodone (OxyContin and Percocet), and morphine (Kadian and Avinza);

2- central nervous system (CNS) depressants, which are used to treat anxiety and sleep disorders — examples include: barbiturates (Mebaral and Nembutal) and benzodiazepines (Valium and Xanax);

3- stimulants, which are prescribed to treat the sleep disorder narcolepsy, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and obesity — examples include: dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine and Adderall) and methylphenidate (Ritalin and Concerta).

Many people benefit from the appropriate use of prescription pain killers, but, when abused, they can be as addictive and dangerous as illegal drugs. Prescription drugs should only be taken exactly as directed by a medical professional.

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Popularity: 21% [?]