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| Adderall (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Well, we sincerely believe that this is a cause worth our attention. According to the West Virginia Prescription Drug Abuse Quitline:
Abuse of prescription drugs is the fastest growing segment for illegal drug use in the United States. More people abuse prescription drugs than the number of people who use cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin combined.
The three main types of prescription drugs are:
- Opiods (painkillers like Demerol, Vicodin, OxyContin)
- Central Nervous System Depressants (Valium, Xanax, etc)
- Stimulants (Ritalin, Concerta, Adderall)
Even the Center for Disease Control says that 100 people die from prescription drug overdose every single day. This epidemic is rampant, and is incredibly difficult to manage. In fact, it is often the true gateway drug for future abusers. What could be more convenient than an unmonitored bottle of old psych meds or painkillers in your medicine cabinet?
It takes a nation to stop this problem on the home front. The Drug Enforcement Agency hosts National Take Back Days twice a year (the most recent of which was September 29th). Be extremely aware of what medicines you have in your cupboard. If you no longer take these medications, dispose of them properly. If you feel like you might have fewer than you thought you had, you need to change the storage location immediately.
These drugs are highly addictive, and should never be kept around children.
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