News / Education
Prescription Drug Abuse Largest Drug Addiction
More Americans are abusing prescription drugs than cocaine, heroin, hallucinogens, Ecstasy, and inhalants combine
More than 15 million Americans abuse controlled substances—double the amount from a decade ago, according to a report issued by CASA. Drug addiction is a real problem.
These stats verify that the heavy marketing campaign of pharmaceuticals has been successful. Constant ads lull people into the thought that if a drug is prescribed, it must be safe. With the same intense marketing directed at medical doctors, you get an increase in sales and resultant addictions.
This is the wrong message to be sending. We have become a nation dependant on drugs, from cough medicine to antibiotics.
With the same intensity, drug prevention and drug treatment must be promoted.
Mary Rieser is the Executive Director of Narconon of Georgia a drug rehabilitation and education facility located in Norcross Georgia. In a recent interview Ms. Rieser describes the recent rise in admissions for prescription drug abuse:
“We have seen an increase in individuals arriving for drug rehab treatment that are addicted to prescription drugs, because they have a high potential for abuse and addiction. When a person first starts taking a drug, they may only feel sleepy or uncoordinated. But then the body becomes accustomed to the effects of the drug, and these feelings begin to dissipate.”
Used long term, the body develops tolerance for the drug. Then larger and larger doses are needed to achieve the same initial effects, likely leading to drug addiction.
Narconon of Georgia provides drug treatment and education for the entire southeast region.
Narconon Drug Rehab of Georgia is a non-traditional drug abuse treatment program.
