S U M M A RY

PR ESC R IPT I ON
DR UG S

In 2014, the CDC (Center for

By Kai Galbiso

Disease Control) reports, The

United States is in the midst of
a drug overdose epidemic.
More people died from drug
overdoses in 2014 than in any
other year on record. With
three out of every five cases
involving an opioid.

According to Behavioral
Health opioids kill more
people in all age group that
illegal drugs combined
(Behavioral Health).

During the past 120 years there has

been a revolution in therapeutics.
Prescription drugs have been very
beneficial to society for it has saved
many lives, and has helped us breach
multiple diseases that used to be
fatal. With new and enhanced
medicines, there will always be a
increase of users who use and abuse
these substances. This unit will look
at some of these medicines and the
abuses and the laws that have
developed to help control the misuse
of prescription drugs. It is important
to keep in mind that prescription
medicines can be just as dangerous
when misused as street drugs.
Works Cited
"Data Overview." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, 2016. Web. 25 Sept. 2016.
Foley, Ryan J.. "In Rare Show of Unity, Governors Vow to Fight Opioid Crisis." Iowa City
Press-Citizen. 13 Jul. 2016: n.p. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 12 Sep. 2016.
Gustke, Constance. "Prescription Drug Abuse Among Older Adults Is Harder to Detect." New
York Times. 11 Jun. 2016: B.4. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 12 Sep. 2016.
"History of Prescription Drugs." RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2016.
Pros and Cons: Weighing the Benefits of Prescription Painkillers. Pros and Cons: Weighing
the Benefits of Prescription Painkillers, Behavioral Health of the Palm Beaches, Inc.
Web. 26 Sept. 2016
"Pros and Cons: Weighing the Benefits of Prescription Painkillers." Pros and Cons: Weighing the
Benefits of Prescription Painkillers. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2016.
Simpson RK Jr, Edmondson EA, Constant CF, et al: Transdermal fentanyl as treatment for
chronic low back pain. J Pain Symptom Manage 14:218-224, 1997.
"The History of Prescription Drugs." Good Medicine, Bad Behavior: Drug Diversion in
America. DEA.gov, n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2016.

Humans cherish life to be the

most valuable thing in
existence, so why do we risk our
lives for small little pill(s)?

PRESCRIPTION THUGS
BIG P HARM A IS BE NEF ITI NG FROM THE DRUGS TH EIR MAKING AS WELL IN TH E PAST
TEN YEARS THE TOP 11 PHARMAC EUTI CAL COMPA NIES H AVE MADE $711 BILLION
DOLLARS FROM SE LLI NG THESE DRUGS . PHAR MACEUTICAL COMPANIES ARE THE
MOST PR OFI TABLE INDUSTRY IN THE U S.

Ask your doctor if this drug is right for you.

Once we follow the money, we see

that these companies are more
worried about their income, rather
than peoples well being. Prescription
drugs is a billion dollar business.
Doctors having the ability to

OX YCOD ON E H AS TH E G RE AT EST POT ENT IAL

FOR A BUS E A ND T H E GRE AT EST DAN GE RS . I T
IS AS PO WE RFUL AS H ER OIN AN D AF FE CTS
T HE N E RVOU S SY ST E M TH E SAM E WAY.
OX YCOD ON E I S S OL D UN D ER MA N Y TRA D E
N AME S , SUC H AS PER CODA N , EN DODAN ,
ROXIPRIN , PE RCOC ET, EN D OC ET, ROX ICET
AN D OXYCO NT IN . IT COM ES IN TA BLE T
FORM. A MON G TE E NS , PRES CRIPTION DRUGS
AR E TH E MOST COMMON LY US E D DRUGS
N EX T TO MA RIJ UAN A, A N D A LM OST H AL F OF
T HE TE EN S ABUS ING PR ES CRIPTION DRUG S
AR E TAK IN G PAIN K IL L ERS .

prescribe unnecessary amounts of

prescription drugs and with
pharmacies raising the prices on the
necessary prescription drugs that are
potential life threatening, is the cause
to the pharmaceutical business
profits. With all these advertisements
saying at the end of them, Ask your
doctor if this drug is right for you
gives the doctor the power to
determine.

PRE S CRIPTION DRUG S ARE T H E MOST

ABU SE D WI TH T HE H IGH EST R ATES IN
AD D ICT ION AN D DE AT H . WH E N
RE GUL AT ION S ARE ABID ED BY AN D ARE
ST RICT LY EN FORC ED BY N OT ON LY TH E
D OCTOR BUT BY TH E PH A RM ACIST TH EN
T HE S E RATE S WI LL BE CO NT ROLL ED A ND
S LOW LY STA RT TO D EC RE AS E . TH ES E D RUG S
AR E N E ED TO R ED UCE PA IN FOR CR IT ICAL
IN JU RIES AS W EL L AS PR OVID E A ST RON GER
IMM UNE SY ST EM. TH ES E PI LLS AR E A
N ECE S SI TY BUT WI TH E VE RY T H IN G TH ER E
AR E R IS KS AN D N OT ON LY DO T H E Y N EED
TO BE AD DRE S SE D BUT T HE Y N EED TO BE
CON T ROLL ED.

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