Battling The Prescription Drug Epidemic

Young Adults’ Prescription Drug Use Up — And Many Don’t Think Twice About "Stacking" Drugs

(CBS)  In the war on drugs, according to most national surveys, teenage smoking, alcohol and marijuana use is down. The bad news is that abuse of prescription and over-the-counter drugs is going up. CBS News anchor Katie Couric begins our four-part series called “Generation Rx.”

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Meet Erin. She’s your average, ambitious college coed.

“It’s just this instant happy. And it’s not a false happy. It feels so genuine,” she said. “I mean, I stay up all night, I'm literally up every hour every day”

She told CBS News what gets her through both term papers and toga parties at a private school in the south.

“When I'm on Adderall, I'm a person who's driven and has lots of energy,” she said.

Adderall is a drug used to treat Attention Deficit Disorder, something Erin doesn’t have.

“And then if I take something like valium, I usually drink on that too a little bit, and I have a blast, I have a wonderful night. I don't remember it the next morning.” she said.

In fact, Erin admits to abusing as many as 10 prescription or over-the-counter drugs in a single day - a phenomenon kids in the know call “stacking,” Couric reports.

“You take one of these in the morning because you need to get up for school, whereas in the afternoon, you need to calm down so take one of these,” said Steve Pasierb, president and CEO of Partnership for a Drug-Free America (PDFA).

According to the PDFA, about one-in-five teenagers has admitted to abusing prescription drugs.

“We see teenagers saying ‘I'm under a lot of stress,’” Pasierb said. “’I'm under stress to perform, get good grades, be a good child, be a good athlete’ … all of those things. And those lead to pressures which A, cause kids to party to escape. And B, cause them to abuse certain drugs very tactically for their school performance.”

The PDFA’s research shows these drugs are easy to get - and easy to mistake for being somehow safer than cocaine or heroin.

“What we're hearing from kids is these are household products. These are things they're getting from mom's medicine cabinet or friends' medicine cabinet,” Pasierb said. “And they believe very truly that it's a safer way to get high. Which is a real falsehood.”

No one knows better than Salisbury, Mass., police chief Dave L’Esperance, who’s witnessed four kids younger than 22 die from prescription drug overdoses.

“I wish I could find a word synonymous but stronger than ‘epidemic,’” L’Esperance said.

During his 20 years on a regional drug task force, L’Esperance saw the junkies’ drug of choice shift from crack cocaine to anti-anxiety medications like Klonopin, and painkillers, such as OxyContin.

“Who's the enemy here? I mean it's not like cocaine where it's from Columbia,” he said. “It's not heroin from Afghanistan. This stuff is manufactured right here.”

But this one soldier in the war on drugs couldn’t keep every kid clean. Not even one living under his own roof.

Earlier this year, one of those four local boys who lost his life was the chief’s 20-year-old son, Christopher.

Couric asked him: “When did you first realize that your son Christopher had a drug problem?”

“Probably when he was about 15,” L’Esperance said.

“He started abusing methadone wafers?” Couric asked. “Had you ever heard of that before, Chief?”

“No, no,” he said. “Prescription. Synthetic heroin is what it is.”

Couric asked: “How was it discovered that he had OD’d?”

“I found him,” L’Esperance said. “It's happenin' everywhere. It can happen in the school parkin' lot. It can happen in your driveway.”

It happened because these drugs are so accessible, and kids think they’re invincible.

“I feel fine when I take these pills,” Erin said. “Now, I've done it and it's not that bad.”

[grammawhamma]

How sad.

[mamaorg]

Methadone is the #1 killer in prescription narcotics today.It is readily available on the streets and is extremely cheap.It is now the most commonly prescribed drug for chronic pain and this leads to large doses being sent home.Methadone is extremely lethal and unstable.Thousands are dying yearly. these deaths are from street use and those taking this drug as prescribed by their doctor.Deaths have occurred from a single small dose.Methadone is unlike any other opiate drug currently being used.I lost my 24 yr old son last year after a doctor on Hilton Head SC gave it to him for pain.He took it as he was told and 40 hours later he was dead.I now direct Mothers Against Medical Abuse.Org to help stop these untimely deaths. One Pill Can Kill and nobody is safe from becoming Methadones next victim.These kids think they can take one and get high only to fall asleep and die.Florida had almost 1,000 deaths from this drug in 2006.Over 5,000 a year are dying and these numbers are only those who have had a toxicology report done, true numbers are much higher.More and more of our loved ones will die if we do not stop this deadly drug.One small dose will show up as a toxic level after death.This is not a street made drug but is distributed by doctors and now has spread to be the new "Silent Killer". Please help save a life, help spread the word about Methadone before it kills someone you love. MAMA.org

[melis11577]

Methadone is now the #2 Killer Drug in the U.S. Methadone is more addictive then any other pain medication including heroin and because of it%u2019s extremely long half life, cardio toxic risks, numerous fatal drug interactions, dosages based on tolerance, and small margin of error.

Every day 10.9 people die from Methadone (according to 2004 stats, not including car accident deaths caused by drivers under the influence of Methadone)

Current statistics show that nearly 4000 people a year die from methadone. These deaths are mostly happening to pain management and detoxification patients%u2019 wit hi n the first 10 days of taking initial dose. Most of these deaths are related to methadone prescribed with other medications that react as additives with the methadone. Diversion of methadone is a serious problem because it lands t hi s most deadly drug on streets. Statistics also state that methadone is contributing to more deaths nationwide then heroin and only second to cocaine deaths.

The potential of abuse, diversion, and overdose to new patients being prescribed methadone is overwhelming. The unique properties of methadone, it''s long half life, and it''s negative interaction with numerous drugs make it an optimal choice as a last result treatment for chronic pain and addiction.

Thank you for taking the time to read this letter.

Sincerely

Melissa Zuppardi
Helping America Reduce Methadone Deaths
www.HARMD.org

[aheadofcrowd]

Tens of thousands dead every year.
Millions seriously injured and damaged all in the name of profit and population control.
Quacks more than willing to hook children and adults on dangerous psych drugs.

Yeah, I''d say we might have a problem.



HTTP://WWW.SSRISTORIES.COM/INDEX.PHP
HTTP://WWW.NATURALCURES.COM
HTTP://WWW.NATURALCURES.COM

[aheadofcrowd]

Tens of thousands dead every year.
Millions seriously injured and damaged all in the name of profit and population control.
Quacks more than willing to hook children and adults on dangerous psych drugs.

Yeah, I''''d say we might have a problem.



http://www.ssristories.com/index.php
http://www.newstarget.com
http://www.naturalcures.com

[aheadofcrowd]

Tens of thousands dead every year.
Millions seriously injured and damaged all in the name of profit and population control.
Quacks more than willing to hook children and adults on dangerous psych drugs.

Yeah, I''''d say we might have a problem.



http://www.ssristories.com/index.php
http://www.newstarget.com
http://www.naturalcures.com

[mcvet]

Tens of thousands dead every year.
Millions seriously injured and damaged all in the name of profit and population control.
Quacks more than willing to hook children and adults on dangerous psych drugs.

Yeah, I''''''''d say we might have a problem.



http://www.ssristories.c
om/index.php
http://www.newstarget.com
nhttp://www.naturalcures.com


Posted by AheadOfCrowd at 08:28 PM : Nov 26, 2007
+ rep

What is so funny about this is the NeoCon''s have sold us for decades on the lie that pot would distroy our kids lives. All the while the rich CEO''s at drug Companies make Millions. Gosh?! How much did we spend last year on the War on Drugs? LMAO

[likeablunchs]

'' .. it''s my infinite eternal storyboards, so i can change it, yet each inside storyboards must consent, as it''s the infinite eternal storyboards of each, but each goes in infinite directions, and most of those directions will favor me and my will, as will my directions favor their wills, and most directions that do not favor my will, favor my eternal will though not my local, and few if any defy all my infinite wills .. ''

'' .. evil is despicable; however, dressed girls with badges and bombs disciplining naked lazy ignorant profane blemished promiscuous man *** is not only justice, but good wholesome satisfying justice .. ''

'' .. with a few scraps of market share, one can dare all the adults or feed them, you''ll not find them feeding in my market share .. ''

'' .. if we market buses, the young, old, sick, and handicapped will be provided for, and their rapists will get stealth planes, so market cars, and the rapists will settle for cars .. ''

'' .. 33 sick beds across 4.5 countys to visit 132 folk for swapping a quarter with each, and for conjuring 11 new foods, 11 new sheltets, and 11 new misc other such each night, each sick bed an 11,335 square foot spore bloom weed dragon trail fickle first aid lunch farm cottage studio trail crossing yseedsberry trail group drifting swimming village to village and trail to trail about 3 to 27 miles per hour .. ''

[likeablunchs]

'' .. free grapes or veggie spam and free chilled tap water or tea for 132 quarter tips and donations each night, there and here and then and now .. ''

[laverne0528]

I agree that alot of this is hype - internet sales of alot of prescription drugs are being made illegal because the big drug companies are not making as much money for them AND since there is no doctor visit involved, the MD''s are having fits! Let''s make sure the poor/middle class get''s the bite instead of rich MD''s and multi-million dollar drug companies, as usual!

I have come to believe that the government and the drug companies are in bed together on what medications are made available, how much and when. There could be a cure for cancer out there right now but just think of the loss of profit to the government and the drug companies when they can no longer charge huge amounts of money for supposed anti-cancer drugs and surgeries.

I believe that the goverment knew years before it came out to the public that cigarette smoking was dangerous to our health but the government and the tobacco companies were making big bucks and wanted to make as much as they could before the general public found out the truth on their own. Then the government shunned the tobacco companies, making it entirely their fault for producing a cancer-causing agent and proceeded to hike up taxes on this product in their attempt to protect the public (ha-ha) and make it harder for people to continue to purchase cigarettes. Another lie from the government, and even more profits!!

[random_radar]

So what is the solution?

People die of drug overdose. Should we put them to death for using drugs?

People ruin their lives taking drugs. Should we ruin their lives by putting them in prison for years?

People make bad choices. Should we take away their freedom?

What is the solution? Even if people make bad choices that destroy lives, why do you think you can make their choices for them? Who made you gods?

I would rather take my chances being free than know for certain I will be a slave.

This is exactly what Big Pharma wants. A pill for every problem. All prescription medicine are made from unnatural products with tremendous side effects. If you think taking prescription medicine daily will make you healthier you better take another look. When Statin Drugs are proven ineffective with all those side effects are finally remove from the market place, this sole event will signal the end of the daily prescription madness that has been promoted by Doctors with great financial incentives to put everyone on this poison. There clinical trial are an absolute joke.

If the truth were to be known and such records were kept. The Number 1 cause of death in this country would be Medical Intervention.

[likeablunchs]

'' .. most folk most time offer free food medicine and shelter and infinite wishes come true for each and all for ever and ever more, but only because i spank them when they refuse, all in all though, their not all that special, for all the infinite stuff the infinite masses dole out to the infinite masses, most folk most time inveitably supply 99.infin9% of their own food medicine and infinite wishes come true and each supplys only .infin01% of the food medicine and infinite wishes come true of the others combined and only .infin01% of .infin01% of any one other .. ''

[krazykat2525]

Anna Nicole Smith & her wackiness being on drugs should have been a wake up call 4 anyone using prescription drugs. Perhaps if young kids & adults could see the results in a Medical Examiner''s office the results of such actions they would think twice b/4 taking pills. & kids need to know to stay away from people who do drugs of any kind. They are losers, and want to bring others down. I do not like MJ personally but a regulated legalized growing without additives seems personally to be the lesser of the two evils.

[vateen]

There are many teens who look to OTC''s and Prescription Drugs to help improve their life. These teens would not be using them if they were not there. The drugs are everywhere and easy to get. The limits on these drugs can not disappear but the adults can help with this. For teenagers who live at home they can analyze the behaviors of their teens. For teens at college, they can always call and check up on them or when they come home check up on them. There can be changes.

Most teens won''t realize that they are harmful until they have a personal experience to themself, or a close friend or family member, or even just an acquaintance. This will stop their use because they will see it is harmful.

Sometimes we teens have to learn from experience or mistakes, not just be told it by an adult, news, or school.

[peace59]

ALL news people are missing the boat on this so called precription drug problem !!! IT HAS BEEN HERE FOR YEARS !!!My grandmother had a closet full of drugs, and where do we get all these drugs is from , so called DRS that don''t care about anything but the $$$$. The main stream media only reports what the government tells them to report, so it will never be resolved. WE will always need and want drugs , that is what and who we are. It is in our DNA. PEACE

[aheadofcrowd]

Tens of thousands dead every year.
Millions seriously injured and damaged all in the name of profit and population control.
Quacks more than willing to hook children and adults on dangerous psych drugs.

Yeah, I''d say we might have a problem.



http://www.ssristories.com/index.php
http://www.newstarget.com
nhttp://www.naturalcures.com

[annd2302]

Adderall is a drug used to treat Attention Deficit Disorder, something Erin doesn%u2019t have.

Erin is nothing but a drug attic, period, what else could you possibly call it, she is a drug attic. She needs help not publicity, she is a druggie, Hear that Erin you are a DRUGGIE.

[feelnormal]

There is a new and effective treatment for opioid addiction, called buprenorphine (Suboxone). Unlike methadone it is available from specially certified doctors by prescription. It has a ceiling effect and an anti-abuse formulation that makes misuse of it less likely. A list of doctors near you can be found on the non-profit website www.naabt.org/local
FeelNormal

[feelnormal]

There is a new and effective treatment for opioid addiction, called buprenorphine (Suboxone). Unlike methadone it is available from specially certified doctors by prescription. It has a ceiling effect and an anti-abuse formulation that makes misuse of it less likely. A list of doctors near you can be found on the non-profit website www.naabt.org/local
FeelNormal

[feelnormal]

Buprenorphine (Suboxone) treatment for opioid addiction


FeelNormal.org

[house015]

Let''s not disparage all Rx drugs simply because some specific types of pills are being abused. As an employee of a major medical center, I see people every day who still take a breath because of these "unnatural" products. Well, go chew on a yew tree and see how that bounty of nature treats you.

Seriously, though, I hope that people get the message to carefully monitor any pain medication they or their children have been prescribed. It would seem common sense that if something affects you so strongly that there have to be side effects to look out for. Pharmacies give you little printouts with every prescription I fill listing them, and it takes 15 seconds to scan over the high points. I also hope that I can teach my own children that "easy" solutions to getting through the day always, always, always have repercussions. How sad that some people think their everyday life and everyday feelings aren''t good enough and have to be chemically enhanced.

[gelyon-2009]

I think this story does more harm than good. It will just make doctors more reluctant to prescribe medications that some people really need. It also promotes a negative attitude towards prescription medications by the general public. You also just told teenagers what pills to look for. I''m one of those people that needs some of these medicines, I have chronic pain. One good point this story made is for people to lock up their pills, I do. This story is not helping the situation.

[gelyon-2009]

I think this story does more harm than good. It will just discourage doctors from prescribing medications that some people really need. It also promotes a negative attitude towards prescription medications by the general public. I''m one of the people that needs some of these medicines, I have chronic pain. It has been shown that people who take opiates for chronic pain usually do not become addicted. One good point this story made is that people should lock up their pills, I do. This story is not helping the situation.

[waterbottle9]

I think that this story does more good than harm. Yes, there is a new treatment (suboxone), but I have found that this is just another drug for addicts to get hooked on. The doctor that I know that prescribes suboxone doesn''t put a time limit on it. Also, you can refill your prescription as often as you want with them-as long as you have the money for it. It seems this doctor along with others aren''t treating the problem, but just trying to make money. This same doctor has prescribed numerous other prescriptions to an addict that he prescribed suboxone to which shows that he will just prescribe anything that you want as long as you have the money. Who is this helping other than the doctor''s wallet?