Prescription Medication Pros And Cons

According to Chuan-Yun Li and collaborators in the research article Meta-Analysis and genome-wide interpretation of genetic susceptibility to drug addiction, a compelling indicator that addiction should be treated as disease and not a moral failure is the fact that there is strong genetic studies evidence showing heritable contributions to susceptibility to developing dependence on addictive

This distinction, between the legitimate use of psychoactive medicines and the sub rosa use of drugs, is more vexed than ever. We have seen nearly 45 years of the War of Drugs… outcries about the safety of our children and accompanying uproars about nicotine in e-cigarettes, caffeine in energy drinks, “synthetic marijuana”, and heroin… club drugs, designer drugs, experimental drugs, homemade methamphetamine… We have pharmaceutical commercials on TV…to the point that any thinking person would be forgiven for questioning the

In the hectic pill-popping world we live in today, around 6.5 million people in the U.S. currently abuse prescription medication and out of those 6.5 million, 4.5 of those people abuse pain relievers according to Nova Science Publishers (Greer). Codeine, oxycodone, Adderall, and Xanax just to name a few of the favorites among abusers (Fahey and Miller). These medications can end up on the streets and in the hands of party-goers looking for a “good time”. Dangerous pills such as those listed above can be quite useful by people with authentic medical conditions such as anxiety and ADHD, but also have the power to be abused by teenage party goers that crave a

Anyone who has purchased prescription medications has probably wondered why they cost so much, and rightfully so. Medication prices in the United States have been on a steady increase for decades, however, prices have been drastically increasing as of recent. Pharmaceutical companies have tried to justify these price increases due to the demand, the high cost of research, and the high costs of development and approval. Notwithstanding, the extent to which the prices have increased is not justifiable. Americans should be against these high medication prices and take action because pharmaceutical companies are taking advantage of our health care system in order to capitalize from the sick. In order shed some light on this issue, we must examine the magnitude, scope, and consequences of these rises in price.

One of the fastest growing epidemics in the United States is prescription drug abuse as reported by the DEA (Partnership for Drug Free Kids, 2013). All ages are guilty of abuse of medications, however, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) (2016) reports young adults abuse these prescription drugs at the highest rates compared to all other age groups. The NIDA reports misuse and abuse is highest among opioid pain relievers, ADHD stimulants, and anti-anxiety drugs (NIDA, 2016). The use of these prescription drugs to treat a variety of physical and mental health issues is quickly becoming a top conservative treatment option. While pharmaceutical companies make extreme amounts of profit off of these physical and mental issues, young adults are increasingly taking on the consequences of addiction and overdose.

Prescription drug abuse has become a major epidemic across the globe, shattering and affecting many lives of young teenagers. Many people think that prescription drugs are safer and less addictive than “street drugs.” After all, these are drugs that moms, dads, and even kids brothers and sisters use. The dangers are not easily seen, but the future of our youth will soon be in severe danger if the problem is not addressed,it will continue to get worse if action is not taken soon. Prescription drugs are only supposed to be consumed by patients who have been examined and have a medical report by a professional, more and more teens are turning to the family’s medicine cabinet to “get high” but what they are

Drugs have different effects on your physiological state of well being. Drugs can inhibit your ability to thinking rationally and make smart decisions. Drugs can alter your physicological systems in your body. They can speed up or slow down your circulatory –respioratory sytems; causing an imbalnce of homeostasis in the body. This can eventaully cause your body stress and can create an illnesses such as a heart attack, rapid heartbeat, and major effects on the liver. Emergency room visits have significantly increase in recent years because of overdoses of prescrition drugs. Nearly 28,000 people died in 2007 beause of unintended drug poisioning (ONDCP, 2011). Beacuase of these adverse affects on our health; this is why prescription drugs are a rising public health problem. It is also an issue that we should care about because this is a problem that not only affects the health of individuals but the economy as well. According to CDC-NCHS the United States spent for $234.1 billion in 2008 on prescription drugs. However, the goverment has implemented plans to prevent this public health issue from progressing. The plan consists of educating parents, youth, and patients about

Illegal drugs have addictive properties that make it hard to stop abusing them. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse more than sixty percent of patients suffering from drug addiction relapse into abuse(National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2000). Depending on the type of illegal drug, the level of addictive

While most people take their medications (even the highly addictive ones) in the manner the physician intended, there are a subset of people who abuse prescribed prescription drugs. Dr. Angela Coulter, a senior research scientist from the University of Oxford said: “One in five people now take five medicines a day. It’s quite easy to start taking pills but stopping is more tricky”. The abuse of prescription drugs is on the rise leaving patients who struggle with chronic pain and doctors who treat them unsure what to do. Thanks to the side effects these drugs offer, such as extreme happiness and emotional calm, prescription painkillers are quickly becoming some of the most abused drugs in the United States.

There are many possible reasons why a person may use prescription drugs non-medically. According to a study conducted by Rozenbroek and Rothstein (2011) most non-medical users use socially with friends rather than alone. To come to this conclusion, they sent out a questionnaire that contained information regarding three categories: opioids, CNS depressants, and stimulants. The questionnaire included demographic information, relevant information (how they obtained the drug), and to make it less of a hassle, they gave the questionnaire during regular class times to unsuspecting students. They discovered from 428 completed questionnaires that opioids and CNS depressants were mainly used medically, and stimulants were

The statistics show how immense of a problem that prescription drug abuse is, but what is even scarier are the people it has affected and the consequences and pitfalls that they have faced. In an article published by BMC Public Health, it is outlined that “In high income countries these drugs are widely used, however, they have a potential for abuse and are also used in excessive and non-therapeutic amounts by some patients. Such excessive prolonged use carries an elevated risk of many and diverse negative consequences” (Rossow and Bramness 1-9).

Every year millions of teenagers experiment with prescription drugs and many they think prescription drugs are safer than illicit drugs found on the streets. “According to the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, teens who abuse prescription drugs are twice as likely to use alcohol, five times more likely to use marijuana, and twelve to twenty times more likely to use illegal street drugs such as heroin, Ecstasy and cocaine than teens who do not abuse prescription drugs” ("Drug free world," n.d., p. A1). These figures demonstrate the need and urgency we must teach our young people to avoid drug use which will minimize their chances of developing other substance abuse problems. The Taskforce will

“First, in all fairness, I will start with physicians. We overprescribe opioids, just as we over prescribe antibiotics. But it is generally well meaning; we don’t want our patients to experience pain. But then we prescribe thirty or sixty pills when five or twenty would have been adequate” (Hirsch, 2016). According to a news article published by CNN, a southern California physician was arrested on February 15, 2016, and charged with murder, after the death of three patients from prescription drug overdoses. This can prove the claim that the prescribing physicians should be held accountable for prescription drug abuse and overdose.

Drugs-whether prescription, over the counter, or behind the counter-have either a beneficial or adversary effect. Prescription drugs are “licensed medicine that is regulated by legislation to require a medical prescription before it can be obtained.” They require a physician’s prescription in order to be utilized. Over the counter drugs are “medicines sold directly to a consumer without a prescription from a healthcare professional.” They play an active role in society today, for most people use prescription drugs to have immediate care. Behind the counter drugs, on the other hand, are “medicines that are stocked behind the counter of a pharmacy which require the attention or counsel of a pharmacist before being dispensed or handed over to a consumer or patient.” They are in-between prescription drugs and over the counter. BTC drugs are transitional drugs that have side effects and need pharmacist advice in order to most effectively use them. Research from The Pharmaceutical Industry and Prescription Drugs have shown both positive and negative viewpoint of BTC drugs. BTC drugs face the struggle of legally creating a BTC class, consumer responsibility regarding intake and possession, and expenses regarding usage. With proper knowledge and information regarding BTC drugs, BTC drugs can be exploited.

Over the counter medications can be had for fractions of the cost of prescription medications. This is a wonderful but yet effective alternative to paying for the prescription drug. Nonprescription Aleve is a fraction of the cost of the prescription equivalent Naprosyn, only in a smaller dose but yet still very effective (WebMD). Many times, there are several suppliers of the same over the counter medicine, driving the price down because of the competition. On the other hand, prescription drugs are usually made by a single company because of patents on the propriety ingredients and formulations in the medication. This limits the supply and drives the price up. Prescription does not always mean better. Consult with your doctor to see if there