Prescription Substance Abuse
The United States represents 5 percent of the world’s population yet it consumes 75 percent of the world’s prescription drugs. A prescription drug is a medicine crafted by pharmaceutical companies that legally requires a medical prescription to be dispensed. In contrast, Illegal drugs are obtained unlawfully through undocumented transaction. Due to substance abuse these prescription and illicit drugs combined, kill tens of thousands of people each year. The three mainly abused types of prescription drugs are opioids, depressants, and stimulants. These 3 types all have something in common and that is, that they are all widely used and incredibly addictive. Opioids are usually given after surgery is performed due to serious pain. Stimulants are meant to speed up the activities in the body by enhancing alertness, concentration, and energy.
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They are prescribed to treat patients with Attention Deficit Hyper Disorder(ADHD) and Depression.These drugs are usually taken in precise doses prescribed by a doctor for specific illnesses and are safer when taken as directed, but are sometimes taken in higher unprescribed doses for stronger effects that create a feeling of intoxication close to, and sometimes worse than many illicit drugs.
Both prescription and illicit drugs have side effects and these effects can sometimes be very detrimental. It is the doctor’s job to decide whether the benefits outweigh the risk for side effects. Drug abuse is highly common among teenagers. The consequences of abuse can lead to addiction and can be very dangerous to one's mental, physical, and financial state. Another danger is the notion that street drugs are seen as dirty drugs while prescriptions are seen as healthier cleaner drugs because they are regulated. This misguides many people who are then taken advantage of by pharmaceutical companies because of the easy access to these powerful drugs due to part-time professional drug
dealers. Addiction is a result of drug abuse. Opioids such as morphine and oxycodone are very strong drugs used as intense painkillers. They are almost molecularly identical to the illegal drug Heroin. Heroin used to be seen as less addictive than morphine. Heroin was made illegal in 1914 due to its addictive qualities. Oxycontin was made available to the public in 1995. Oxycodone is just a cleaner legal version of Heroin. Many Heroin addicts use Oxycodone when there is no Heroin to be found, and use Heroin when there is no Oxycodone to be found, regardless of the costs. As long as one has the money it is very easy to create an excuse to get a morphine prescription, this allows easy access and continuation of an opioid addiction. Heroin is more dangerous because of it being unregulated and its impurities.
They are prescribed to treat patients with Attention Deficit Hyper Disorder(ADHD) and Depression.These drugs are usually taken in precise doses prescribed by a doctor for specific illnesses and are safer when taken as directed, but are sometimes taken in higher unprescribed doses for stronger effects that create a feeling of intoxication close to, and sometimes worse than many illicit drugs.
Both prescription and illicit drugs have side effects and these effects can sometimes be very detrimental. It is the doctor’s job to decide whether the benefits outweigh the risk for side effects. Drug abuse is highly common among teenagers. The consequences of abuse can lead to addiction and can be very dangerous to one's mental, physical, and financial state. Another danger is the notion that street drugs are seen as dirty drugs while prescriptions are seen as healthier cleaner drugs because they are regulated. This misguides many people who are then taken advantage of by pharmaceutical companies because of the easy access to these powerful drugs due to part-time professional drug
dealers. Addiction is a result of drug abuse. Opioids such as morphine and oxycodone are very strong drugs used as intense painkillers. They are almost molecularly identical to the illegal drug Heroin. Heroin used to be seen as less addictive than morphine. Heroin was made illegal in 1914 due to its addictive qualities. Oxycontin was made available to the public in 1995. Oxycodone is just a cleaner legal version of Heroin. Many Heroin addicts use Oxycodone when there is no Heroin to be found, and use Heroin when there is no Oxycodone to be found, regardless of the costs. As long as one has the money it is very easy to create an excuse to get a morphine prescription, this allows easy access and continuation of an opioid addiction. Heroin is more dangerous because of it being unregulated and its impurities.