Goodnough, A. (2010, September 23). A wave of addiction and crime, with the
medicine cabinet to blame. Retrieved October 6, 2010, from http://
www.nytimes.com/2010/09/24/us/24drugs.html?
_r=1&scp=1&sq=prescription%20drug%20addiction&st=cse
Addiction to prescription drugs is an increasing issue throughout the entire nation. Its effects not only affect the addict and their family, but also the community. Crimes involving prescription drugs have greatly increased, along side the issue of addiction. Prescription painkillers such as Oxycontin and Vicoden are the main driving force for many crimes. Addicts to these painkillers go to extreme measures to get the pills. Crimes involving prescription drugs have a large variety ranging from home invasions, robberies, assaults, thefts, and even homicide! In response to this increase in crimes, local authorities have set up a “take-back day” to dispose of excess pills. The event took place nation wide. The effectiveness of this event is in question due to the fact that many people hold on to their prescription medication “just in case.” In keeping the medication, they risk their own safety.
Hansford, J. (2010). Prescription medicines lead to lives with addictions.
Windspeaker, 27(10), 24.
Prescription drug addictions reach goes beyond the U.S boundaries and spills into Canada. In this issue of Windspeaker, Hansford interviews three people who have survived through their addiction. They each explain their life during the time of their drug abuse and tell the hardships that accompany addiction. An anonymous man had started using drugs due to sexual abuse he experienced as a child. His first encounter with a pill was when he experienced a migraine. It was the first step to a better life, so he thought. He continued to take the prescription drugs and became an addict. He would give anything to get a pill; he stole from family, pawned everything he had, and even going as far as making a friend go bankrupt. A woman found herself homeless due to her addiction to drugs. An older man explains that he also lived on the streets as a consequence of his addiction. The man lived through tragic events that ultimately led to his addiction. He continues to tell his story and states that he felt numb when he took the drugs. “It takes the pain away… you have no emotion.”
Inciardi, J. A., Surratt, H. L., Cicero, T. J., Rosenblum, A., Ahwah, C., Bailey,
J., & Dart, R. C., Burke, J. J. (2010). Prescription drugs purchased through
the internet: who are the end users? [Electronic version]. DRUG AND
ALCOHOL DEPENDENCE, 110(1-2), 21-29.
Obtaining prescription drugs is now easier than it ever has been. Online websites may cell these drugs without prescriptions, friends and family give away the medication, or complaints about pain to a physician can also get you the medication. One of the concerns of this study was that whom are the people obtaining these medications. The study was done with different groups of people: college students, patients in treatment, the average person, and even high school students. Almost all of the participants in the study received the medication from family and friends for free. Others received them from dealers and their physicians. A very small amount of people received the medication from the Internet. The study proved that obtaining prescription drugs without a prescription is easy.
Kluger, J. (2010, September 13). The new drug crisis: addiction by
prescription. Retrieved October 1, 2010, from Academic Search Complete.
Prescription painkillers, known as opioids, such as Oxycontin and Vicoden are some of the most addictive medications that are prescribed. They may be addictive but they do what they are made to do, they stop the pain. Doctors initially prescribed opioids to patients that have gone through surgery or are in the process of a painful cancer treatment. They worked wonders for the patients but it came with a cost. Soon patients became addicted and kept going to their doctors for more. As time progressed, patients with minor back pains are even prescribed Oxycontin or Vicoden. With such easy access, abuse of the medication is very high. Statistics show an increasing number of prescribed opioids to patients over a yearly time span. These numbers are continuing to rise and the addiction is becoming much worse. Even children are at risk of addiction. Oxycontin prescribed to their parents may be left around the house, thus creating the risk of the child using the medication. Policies are currently being made to prevent this issue but how much longer will it take to enforce these laws?
McBride, H. C. (2009, November). Why are so many people risking their
health by abusing adhd medications?. Retrieved September 30, 2010, from
http://www.prescription-drug-abuse.org/
prescription_drug_abuse_features/why-are-so-many-young-people-
risking-their-health-by-abusing-adhd-medications.php
In the past, there were many decades that were under the control of substance: the 70’s Marijuana Decade and the 80’s rampant cocaine abuse to name a few. Now in the midst of the 21st century, we may have labeled ourselves as the prescription drug abusers. Statistics done by Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) give us horrifying numbers in which we abuse prescription drugs. The leading drugs are painkillers such as Oxycontin and Vicoden, and ADHD medication such as Ritalin and Adderall. For the younger generation the use of Ritalin and Adderall are in high abuse due to their need for better performance. These drugs help with focus and allow students, especially college students, to focus more on tests and homework. They improve their ability to work under pressure and even improve their academic life. Students fail to realize that they risk dependency, and their lives, on the medication with every pill they take. Sudden abstinence can cause withdrawal symptoms, and even possible death.
Prescription Drug Abuse. (n.d.). Retrieved October 6, 2010, from http://
kidshealth.org/teen/drug_alcohol/drugs/prescription_drug_abuse.html#
Many teenagers misuse prescription drugs purely based on hearing that they will do things that will benefit them, or even just to look good. These are very common mistakes that teens make. They think that taking the prescription drug will help them have more fun, lose weight, fit in, or even help them study more effectively. They think that its safe to take them because they were prescribed by doctors but in reality, taking the drugs can put their safety at risk, and in extreme cases their lives. Teens don’t realize that taking these medications can lead to harsh side effects that could change their entire lifestyle. They also risk dependence on the drugs. Teenagers have a higher rate of getting addicted to a substance within the first pill.
The science behind drug use and addiction.. (n.d.). Retrieved October 3, 2010,
from http://www.abovetheinfluence.com/facts/science-behind-
addiction.aspx
Above The Influence is a well known organization whose goal is to prevent the youth from doing drugs and drinking alcohol. In this particular segment of the website, they give information on how drugs affect the brain. They state that drugs are basically chemicals that work in the brain by manipulating the brain’s communication of signals. The drugs mimic theses signals (also known as neurotransmitters) that are sent through the nerves and activate the receptors for these signals. They don’t activate the nerve cells in the same way that the natural neurotransmitters do so they lead to abnormal messages within the brain. All drugs target the brains reward system by giving the brain dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter in the brain that controls many things including pleasure. The drugs activate this and it gives our brain what it likes. When our brain likes something it gives us signals that ensure repeated uses of the drug to receive the pleasure. As a result our brain become addicted to the drug.
