The Rise in Prescription Drug Abuse
You can go anywhere online and find statistics on what’s considered a current epidemic of prescription drug abuse. Among teens, besides marijuana, prescription drugs are the second most abused with 7-12th graders. When polling teens, they believe that prescription drugs are generally “safer” because they were prescribed by a doctor and bottled by a pharmacist. Studies have shown 1 in 5 teens have used a prescription strength painkiller such as OxyContin or Vicodin or a stimulant such as Ritalin or Adderall to get high.
A recent estimate showed between 25 million and 36 million people abuse opioids such as: heroin, morphine and prescription pain killers worldwide. Of those it’s believed to be close to 2 million or more people in the United States alone with substance abuse disorders, leading to record numbers of accidental overdose deaths. Prescription drug abuse is considered the nation’s fastest growing drug problem.
Prescription drugs taken correctly can help with pain, anxiety, and sleep disorders, however taking strong drugs without a doctor’s recommendation or supervision and especially when mixed with other drugs or alcohol can be fatal. When misused, these chemicals can affect the function of your brain, heart, lungs, and can lead to addiction.
Many elderly are affected as well, with doctors readily writing prescriptions for pain and anxiety. The longer they are on the drugs, their tolerance builds up and suddenly they are asking for more and addiction becomes imminent.
Unfortunately, many drug cases heard in courts today are people who started out with a headache and the prescriptions given started them on a downward spiral of addiction. So many are rushed through the courts that need help with their addictions, and this could be a huge factor in these cases if that is heard by the Judge and Jury. If you find yourself in this situation, please don’t leave your case in the hands of fate. You need a compassionate attorney who knows how to navigate the drug laws and knows how to navigate the system.
At Morrison Law Firm, we believe everyone has a story and a right to be defended by a knowledgeable team of criminal defense attorneys. If you have been charged with a drug crime, please call (913) 780-6666 or visit us online to schedule a free consultation.
