This problem mainly is seen existing amongst teenagers and young adults. According to Payne et al. (2010), “In 2002 SAMSA’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health, estimated that 11 million Americans over the age of 12 years (4.70 % of that population) took prescription pain relievers for nonmedical use” (p.5). This is a huge problem, both opioid diversion and opioid misuse. Keeping this in mind the government and the companies have implemented strategies to minimize the risk associated with …show more content…
Opioid abuse/ misuse is also associated with increase visits to the emergency room, increase numbered of opioid related poisonings and increase use of psychiatric health. According to Hahn (2011), “The number of visits to the ER because of prescription opioid overdose increased approximately 43% between 2004 and 2006- from an
USE OF OPIOIDS 5 estimated 172,726 to 247,669 visits” (p.109). Additional cost to the health care system is imposed by the Insurance fraud by drug abusers. According to Hahn (2011), “Drug diversion costs to health insurers are estimated at $72.5 billion per year” (p.109). Insurance fraud cost include fraudulent claims regarding individual who get addicted, comorbidities associated with opioid use, and prescriptions for non-threatening painful conditions. Opioid use in the Emergency