How To Write An Essay On Prescription Drug Abuse

The earliest human records attest to the fact that human beings have been using addictive narcotics since we were hunter-gatherers. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, physicians prescribed drugs like opium, morphine, cocaine and even heroin in the United States. (Crocq 355) Currently, these substances are either highly regulated or they are outright illegal. The irony here is that the the largest pharmaceutical companies or Big Pharma as they are better known, are selling the general public narcotics that are just as addictive and harmful as what the many gangs in the United States are selling to their customer base. The last statement may sound extreme, however, the third leading cause of death after heart disease and cancer are prescription drugs both in the United States and in Europe. (Gotzche 628) Unfortunately, these pharmaceutical companies are not satisfied with just making us addicts, they are also bankrupting the American consumer and our health care system. The statistics of deaths and the criminal practices of these pharmaceutical companies are distressing, however, it is not surprising since their main objective is to maximize profits. First, let us take a look at some of the offenders.

Illegal drugs such as Heroin, Cocaine, and Meth, along with countless other narcotics place a heavy burden on the population of the United States, with an emphasis of distress on the youth. These drugs are extremely deadly. In 2014, 17,465 people died from overdoses in the United States alone. These drugs are illegal, and evidently for a very good cause. Transition The only problem is that there is an even deadlier factor that exist in today 's modern society, and that problem exists in the form of prescriptions written to millions of people each year from certified and legal doctors. In 2014 the same year stated above, 25,760 people in the United States died from overdoses from drugs that they received legally and often with good intentions, from family doctors that they know and trust (Bellware). That is over 8,000 more people dying from prescription drugs compared to illegal drugs. Prescription drug abuse is a problem in the United States and it is fueled by famous individuals, promotions by pharmaceutical companies and by doctors.

In 2010, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, about seven million people in the United States reported usage of prescription medications for nonmedical purposes. Over five million of those individuals reported abusing narcotic pain relievers. Pharmaceutical drug overdoses are now one of the leading causes of death in the nation. Although prescription drugs are necessary and lifesaving in many circumstances, the correlation between prescription drugs and prescription drug addiction is undeniable. The numbers are staggering and The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has now officially labeled prescription drug abuse as an epidemic.

Did you know that prescription drug abuse is one of the leading causes of death in the United States? “According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, two-hundred and ninety people in the United States are killed by prescription drugs every day. (White)” That number is growing every year due to the lack of knowledge of prescription drugs and the potential harm they can cause. Many people are under the misconception that prescription drugs are safe because they are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and they are prescribed by a doctor. Therefore, the drugs must be safe and could not possibly cause harm or be addicting. However, “the nonmedical use of prescription drugs is the fastest

The first thing Volkow mentions in his reasons for drug abuse is the “number of prescriptions written and dispensed” which is the physician’s responsibility to prescribe and distribute medications. Physicians recklessly prescribing medications are the ones who most likely contribute to the increase of prescription drug abuse in the United States.

Having proper addiction treatment is crucial to someone who is suffering from any form of addiction involving alcohol or drugs. Most addicts do not seek substance abuse treatment because they either think that they don't need it, or they are too ashamed to admit that they need drug rehab or any other types of treatment. There are also those who are unaware that there are treatments for them. And for that kind of people, I will talk about the main 3 types of addiction treatment.

Drug use is part of life in the United States. Some people use drugs for

Dasgupta, Beletsky, and Ciccarone (2018), state that “diversion, misuse, and abuse of legal drugs may be involved in as many as seven out of ten reports of drug-related injury or death” (p. 182). This is a very important issue because it deals with medicine which controls pain, as human sometimes we are feeling so much pain in our bodies that we will take or do anything to relieve that pain, that includes taking more medication if it means the pain will go away. Medical personnel has to be more aware and trained on the opioid crisis, “a small proportion of physicians were unscrupulous, doling out opioids without adequate regard for medical need,” (Dasgupta et al., 2018, p. 183). Too much of anything is bad for you. Doctors and scientist need

In recent years there has been a huge hike in prices for prescription and over the counter drugs in the U.S. Some of the drugs are drugs that save lives. The price increase of drugs is not a new things and it is because of many economic reasons, how much it costs to make and develop and how much the patent owner wants to sell them. The main problem though lies with the American government not wanting to put regulations the drugs. Some of the drugs are drugs that don't really affect you as much such as Ibuprofen but some of the drugs are drugs that save people's lives and they need them. Those life saving drugs in particular are the ones with the most price increases. Unfortunately this problem is only a problem in America and in other countries such as

Prescription Drug Abuse has increased in an alarming rate over recent years! Prescription drug related deaths now outnumber those from heroin and cocaine combined. The abuse in prescription drugs in America goes back more than a hundred years ago. Prescription drug abuse is the use of a medication without a prescription, in a way other than prescribed, or for the experience or feelings elicited. Although prescription medications are intended to help individuals, they can sometimes become addictive and can induce serious side effects, changes in behavior, and even death.

The drug problem in America is indeed a problem by the fact that many people have a preset opinion of drugs without actually coming to their own opinion of these substances. Drugs have been part of human culture for thousands of years, and governments want to put regulations on these substances because they think they know what is best for the people. The American Declaration of Independence insists that humans have certain unalienable rights; this should include deciding what and what not to put in your body. People around the world use drugs for different reasons, whether it is for religious practices, therapy, medicine, or personal experiences.

Prescription drug abuse, while most common in the US, is a problem in many areas

With prescription drug overdoses being called “silent killers,” we need to take action. One American dies every nineteen minutes from a prescription drug overdose. It has been called the biggest man made epidemic in the United States. It has been said that more people die from prescription drugs than heroin and cocaine combined. Most people who die from prescription drugs are older adults. But, some teens die from the abuse of prescription drugs as well.

Prescription drug misuse has seen some steady growing numbers in America throughout the last 10 years. Vashishtha Devish explains: “In the USA, over 2.4 million people meet the criteria for severe opioid use disorder (OUD) involving dependence on opioid analgesic medications, heroin, or both.”(Device 1) According to StatNews if we don’t do anything about this more than 650,000 people will die in the next 10 years from opioid misuse. If we don’t stop now, we may not be able to take control of this epidemic.(STAT 2) Dan Nolan and Chris Amico from PBS FrontLine states: “In 1999, there were more than twice as many motor vehicle deaths as fatal drug overdoses. By 2014, those numbers had flipped, with almost 40 percent more deaths from overdoses than car crashes.” Heroin and other prescription opioids are the reason for an average of 27,000 deaths a year, more than triple the rate in 2000.(PBS 3) Opioids are medications that interact with opioid receptors in the brain and the spinal cord to reduce pain in the body; also affecting the part of your brain that control emotion. Opioids have been used for centuries to treat pain, cough, and diarrhea. Besides relieving pain, opioids activate regions in the brain that control pleasure. This causes the euphoria or high and therefore showing potential for misuse and addiction. When taken, Opioids quickly attach to receptors in our brain and spinal cord and block the perception of pain, it also floods your brain with dopamine; a chemical

In recent years drugs have overtaken the United States by storm. The rising death rate of overdose continues to rise as we speak. Whether it is abuse of illegal drugs such as cocaine, or medication prescribed by a doctor such as opioid painkillers, addiction will always be a concern. And in many cases, if substance abuse continues, there is a real possibility of overdose.