Rising Danger of Prescription Opiate Addiction

Posted by ONE80 Staff on June 16, 2010 · Leave a Comment 

With The CDC Announcing The Rising Danger of Prescription Opiate Addiction, One80Center Addresses The Problem

The misuse and the abuse of opiate-based pain medication is a plague across America that is only growing worse. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed that the most common poisonings treated in emergency rooms in the United States, are caused by misuse of opiate-based pain medications.  It is estimated that close to one million people in the United States are currently addicted to some type of opiates. One80Center recognizes the severity of this problem, designing an individualized program around the effective treatment of such addicts.

In a recent study conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) discovered a 111 percent increase in emergency room visits involving non-medical use of prescription opiate-based pain relievers. Over a five year period, from 2004 to 2008, the estimated number of emergency department visits linked to non-medical use of prescription pain relievers rose from 144,644 visits to 305,885 visits a year, more than doubling the amount of cases. Study authors also noted age and gender were non-factors. The dramatic rise occurred in both men and women, as well as among those younger and older than 21. One80Center recognizes that opiate addiction, particularly in prescription pill form, is not specific to any single group. It is a plague that is affecting the American population across the board. As Office of National Drug Control Policy Director Gil Kerlikowske exclaimed, “The abuse of prescription drugs is our nation’s fastest-growing drug problem.”

Three prescription opiates stood out as drugs most frequently misused and abused: Oxycodone (used for severe to moderate pain) incidents rose 152 percent, Hydrocodone (powerful analgesic/cough suppressant) products rose 123 percent, and Methadone (strong analgesic/chronic pain) episodes rose 73 percent. All three drugs are medically prescribed to treat moderate to severe discomfort, but many times are abused for the sake of getting high, leading many people to overdose on them. In addition, the time-released formulas of many prescription pills result in a drastic increase in overdoses. The addict takes more because the drug is not hitting, not creating the sensation of being high, thus resulting in overdose when the time-released formula hits all at once. Recognizing this behavior, the One80Center program involves a combination of education and experience to improve a client’s awareness that such dangers exist and easily can kill them if they relapse.

CDC director Dr. Thomas Frieden announced in a press conference: “We urgently need to take action. Emergency department visits involving non-medical use of these prescription drugs are now as common as emergency department visits for use of illicit drugs. These prescriptions medicines help many people, but we need to be sure they are used properly and safely.” The clinical experts at One80Center agree with Frieden’s warning, and the recovery program if followed is designed to generate long-term recovery from these deadly addictions to prescription opiates.