AHS Views

$79 billion - that’s the latest figure on the profits of Big Pharma - the nation’s biggest drug dealer. And most of the money they’re making now comes from addictive drugs  - as is evidenced by the fact that many facilities offering addiction help are servicing more people for prescription drug addiction, dependency and abuse than for street drugs.

A few startling facts about the prescription drug scene in the U.S.:

• More than 3 million kids aged 12 to 17 abuse prescription drugs
• That figure increases by about 3,300 every day.
• The number of annual prescriptions written for stimulants (like Adderall, Ritalin, and other amphetamines) has gone from 5 million in 1991 to 35 million in 2007.
• Prescriptions for opioid painkillers (like OxyContin, hydrocodone, Vicodin, and Percocet) the increase over that same period was from 40 million to 180 million.
• As of 1997, drug companies were allowed to advertise directly to the consumer. By 2001, you can bet it’s as bad or worse now, 44% of the people who went to their doctor requesting a drug they’d seen advertised got the drug they asked for. That probably represents close to a 44% increase in profit for drug companies.

Pitiful scene. And as a nation, we’re hooked. If you think you or someone you care about might have a problem with prescription drugs, contact Addiction Help Services to find out what your options are. 

Your unused medication may be causing illness, and worse, for yourself and others. The drugs could be taken by mistake when they’re no longer needed or prescription painkillers, tranquiliers, sedatives and stimulants can be taken from the medicine cabinet by others in the family and could lead to them needing addiction help.

The White House guidelines on prescription drug disposal getting rid of old medications might offer some protection - they recommend the drugs be surrounded with coffee grains or something that will disguise them in the trash, or that they’re just flushed down the toilet.

Unfortunately, when you follow those guidelines, the drugs end up in our water supply. In fact, medications have been found in the water supplies of 41 million Americans. True, the amounts are small but, it’s still a major concern. How much harm can be caused by the accumulation of these drugs in our system. And can this get someone started on their way to addiction?

If you’d like to get rid of your medication safely, check with your local pharmacist to find out if there are drug disposal facilities available. And if you suspect that someone in your family may have gotten into your stash and might now be dealing with prescription drug addiction or abuse, contact Addiction Help Services to find out what steps you should take next.