An Over-Medicated Society

Paper Summary:

The paper warns that the abuse of prescription medications in the United States is now the second most prevalent drug problem. The paper presents alarming statistics and brings to light the abuse of provocative and dangerous prescriptions from doctors for children. The paper strongly contends that this is an urgent issue that needs to be addressed by responsible healthcare professionals and political leaders.

From the Paper:

"The data published by SAMHSA indicates that "an average of 11.3 million persons 12 years or older were using prescription pain relievers non-medically in the past year." That compares with 25.5 people who used marijuana in the past year. The growth of the use of pain relievers by young people is startling; in 2002 some 5.9 percent of persons 12 or older were using Vicodin, but that jumped to 7.4 percent by 2004."
"Meanwhile, 11.8 percent of youths (12 to 17) used pain relievers (non-medically) for recreational purposes in the last year, while 7.5 percent of young adults (18-26) were using prescription pain relievers, and 3.1 percent of adults over the age of 26, the SAMHSA report continued. "

Sample of Sources Used:

• Miller, Carol Marbin. "Advocates Alarmed by Drugs Used for Kids." The Miami Herald.Retrieved 21 Nov. 2006 from http://www.vachss.com/help_text/styles/archive-print.php.
• Miller, Carol Marbin. "Advocates Criticize Medicating Foster Kids." The Miami Herald. Retrieved 21 Nov. 2006 from http://www.vachss.com/help_text/styles/archive-print.php.
• National Institute on Drug Abuse. "Research Report Series - Prescription Drugs: Abuse andAddiction. Trends in Prescription drug abuse." Retrieved 22 Nov. 2006 from http://www.nida.nih.gov/researchreports/prescription/prescription5.html.
• O'Brien, Soledad. "Expert: Good medicine meets bad behavior." Cable News Network. Retrieved 22 Nov. 2006 from http://www.cnn.com/2006/health/05/16/cnna.passierb/index.html.
• Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration. "Federal Report Shows NewNonmedical Users of Prescriptions Pain Relievers Outnumbered New Marijuana UsersBetween 2002 and 2004." U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved 22Nov. 2006 from http://www.samhsa.gov/news/newsreleases/061027_painrelievers.htm.

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