By Dawndy Mercer Plank - bio | email
COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) - Emergency rooms treat 2,000 people each day for drug poisoning, and prevention magazine says about 75 of those people die. That's more accidental deaths each day than car crashes.
Since 1998, a report released from the drug enforcement agency says treatment for prescription drug abuse has increased 400 percent. "It's becoming a more increasing problem," said Rhonda Di Novo.
The Lexington-Richland Alcohol and Drug Abuse Council is one of the facilities that's treating a growing number of clients. "We've seen an increase, I can say that for sure in our treatment, in our medical detox unit as well as outpatient treatment programs," said Leslie Wilson. "We've seen an increase among women and we've certainly seen an increase among adolescents."
Some of the reasons experts say prescription drug abuse is on the rise: accessibility - people don't have to get it on the streets. They look as far as a medicine cabinet, either in their own home or in others.
And stigma - people think its safer than street drugs because doctors write prescriptions. "They all have this misconception that because they're using prescription drugs that it's safe," said Lynn Connelly.
The U.S. Pharmacy Association says the number of prescriptions written for painkillers grew by nearly percent between 1992 and 2002. "We trust our physicians in our society and so if a doctor gives it to us, than it's okay, I'm not buying it off the corner, I'm not buying it from the streets," said Wilson. "My doctor gave me this and he's licensed to write this prescription."
But millions of people want their health problems solved with a pill, instead of lifestyle choices like exercise, healthy diet, or changing their behavior. "We are so socialized into thinking that pills answer our problems whatever they are and if we can ask a doctor to write it and convince him, then we will do that," said Wilson.
There are several programs to help prevent prescription drug abuse in South Carolina. Among them, DHEC has a computerized tracking system that keeps records of all prescriptions filled in South Carolina. The DEA can track a legitimate prescription drug from the factory to the patient.
Law enforcement agencies from the federal to local levels have also organized drug takeback programs where people can turn in their unused and expired prescription drugs. "We have to talk to parents about keeping medications locked and safe," said Wilson.
But experts say the most effective way to prevent prescription drug abuse, is to develop a relationship between your doctor and pharmacist to make sure you're using your prescriptions properly. "We just have to be more careful as to who the prescriptions are written for and given to, and make sure patients understand what the medications are used for, and more importantly how to store them and keep them and keep them out of harm's way," said Connelly.
A report released by the Drug Enforcement Agency earlier this year said the number of people seeking treatment for abusing prescription pain relievers increased four-hundred percent since 1998.
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