Prescription Drug Addiction

Paper Summary:

This paper takes a look at addiction to prescription drugs. According to the paper, many people are addicted to pain relieving drugs such as OxyContin. The paper reports that according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, nearly one-quarter of Americans between the ages of 18 and 25 take painkillers for recreational purposes.

Outline:
A Brief History of Substance Abuse
What is Addiction?
Drugs with Addictive Potential
Prescription Drug Abuse by Adolescents, Women, and the Elderly
Drug Seekers
Pharmaceutical Involvement
Society's Role: A Pill for Every Ill

From the Paper:

"Generally, addicts prefer drugs that have "a rapid onset of action, high potency, brief duration of action, high purity, water solubility (for intravenous use) or high volatility (ability to vaporize if smoked)" (Longo et al, 2000, p. 2402). Among benzodiazepines, Valium, Ativan and Xanax cross the blood-brain barrier more rapidly and have a high potential for abuse. Longo argues that a significant number of addicts started out using street drugs and progressed to prescription drugs as they became chronically ill. Sometimes, prescription drugs are used in conjunction with street drugs to heighten euphoric effects, alleviate withdrawal symptoms, augment alcohol effects synergistically, or temper cocaine highs."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Bailes, B. K. (1998). What perioperative nurses need to know about substance abuse. AORN Journal, 68 (4) Oct. 611-622. Retrieved 16 February 2007 from Expanded Academic ASAP (Thomson Gale) database.
• Byrd, P. B. (2001). Do you know if your patients, co-workers, friends, family, or you have an addiction? Journal of Dental Hygiene, 75 (1), 65-81.
• Carlson, K. J., Eisenstat, S. A., and Ziporyn, T. (2004). The new Harvard guide to women's health. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
• Critser, G. (2005). Generation Rx: How prescription drugs are altering American lives, minds, and bodies. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin.
• Gerada, C. and Ashworth, M. (1997). Illicit drugs (Addiction and dependence, part 1) (ABC of mental health). British Medical Journal, 315 (7103), 2-15.

More papers on Prescription Drug Addiction:

• Term Paper # 139231 : "Drug Addiction Problem"
• Persuasive Essay # 119975 : "Prescription Drug Abuse"
• Essay # 84953 : "Prescription Drugs and Young Adults"

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