Many people across the world have fallen to the addiction of prescription narcotic medications because they are highly addictive and are being over prescribed by care providers. Becoming addicted and dependent on a certain drug can cause one to be very disoriented and lose sight and focus on what tasks are at hand. A recent study by the National Survey on Drug Use and Health shows that in the year 2012, 6.8 million people aged 12 or older were current nonmedical users of prescription drugs. Of the 6.8 million people, 4.9 million were users of pain relievers. (1)
Prescription narcotic drug abuse, or nonmedical use of narcotics, has been identified as an epidemic on the rise. In most cases, drug abuse will lead to an addiction to the narcotic. …show more content…
Some examples of highly addictive narcotics that are being prescribed to people today include OxyContin, Vicodin, Codein, Morphine, Ambien, and many more. “Narcotics are prescribed by doctors to treat pain, suppress cough, and put people to sleep” (1). Besides aiding with their medical use, narcotics can produce a general sense of well being by reducing tension, anxiety, and aggression. These effects are often helpful in a therapeutic setting but also contribute to an addiction and abuse of the drug. Overdoses of narcotics are not uncommon and can be fatal. In a less extreme overdose, there is loss of motor coordination and slurred speech.
Overprescribing by the health care providers is also a huge contributing factor to many American’s becoming addicted to prescription drugs. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, “since 1999, the amount of prescription painkillers prescribed and sold in the United States has nearly quadrupled, yet there has not been an overall change in the amount of pain that Americans report.” (2) “Nationally, 21.5% of law enforcement agencies…reported controlled prescription drugs as the greatest drug threat, up from 9.8% in 2009.
Prescription narcotic drug abuse, or nonmedical use of narcotics, has been identified as an epidemic on the rise. In most cases, drug abuse will lead to an addiction to the narcotic. …show more content…
Some examples of highly addictive narcotics that are being prescribed to people today include OxyContin, Vicodin, Codein, Morphine, Ambien, and many more. “Narcotics are prescribed by doctors to treat pain, suppress cough, and put people to sleep” (1). Besides aiding with their medical use, narcotics can produce a general sense of well being by reducing tension, anxiety, and aggression. These effects are often helpful in a therapeutic setting but also contribute to an addiction and abuse of the drug. Overdoses of narcotics are not uncommon and can be fatal. In a less extreme overdose, there is loss of motor coordination and slurred speech.
Overprescribing by the health care providers is also a huge contributing factor to many American’s becoming addicted to prescription drugs. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, “since 1999, the amount of prescription painkillers prescribed and sold in the United States has nearly quadrupled, yet there has not been an overall change in the amount of pain that Americans report.” (2) “Nationally, 21.5% of law enforcement agencies…reported controlled prescription drugs as the greatest drug threat, up from 9.8% in 2009.