We have known for years that prescription drug abuse, specifically the non-medical use of pain killers, has been a growing problem. Just how much the problem has grown came to light last week with the release of study of substance abuse treatment admissions over a 10-year-period.The new government study found that treatment admissions involving non-medical use of narcotic pain relievers between 1998 and 2008 increased by an alarming 400 percent.
Perhaps even more alarming is the fact the increase in prescription drug addiction ranges across all age, gender, race and ethnic groups and across all regions of the United States.
Fastest Growing Drug Problem
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration study:
- Admissions involving prescription pain relievers increased from 2.2% in 1998 to 9.8% in 2008.
- Admission rates for methamphetamine abuse doubled between 1998 and 2008.
- Treatment admissions for marijuana increased 50% during the period.
Startling Findings of Drug Abuse
Officials called the study findings "startling" and said preventing the nation's fastest-growing drug problem is the top priority of government prevention efforts.
"These findings should serve as exclamation points to punctuate what we already know -abuse of prescription drugs is our country's fastest-growing drug problem, the source of which lurks far too often in our home medicine cabinets," said R. Gil Kerlikowske, Director of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). "Reducing prescription drug abuse is a top priority of this Administration's 2010 National Drug Control Strategy, and requires collaboration across the medical, prevention, treatment, and enforcement communities."
The full study, "Substance Abuse Treatment Admissions Involving Abuse of Pain Relievers: 1998 and 2008," is available online.
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