News / Education
Your Children Your Friends Drug Addicts
Some of our closest friends and neighbors and even our grandmothers are drug addicts
This is not the case anymore. Some of our closest friends and neighbors and even our grandmothers are drug addicts – addicted to prescription drugs.
More than 15 million Americans abuse controlled substances—double the amount from a decade ago. The biggest increase in drug abuse has been with prescription drugs. More individuals are abusing prescription drugs than cocaine, heroin, hallucinogens, Ecstasy, and inhalants combined according to the drug enforcement administration. The addiction is spread across all generations – from children to grandparents.
Prescription drug abuse has now eclipsed illegal drug abuse with our youth and quite often the abuse is happening right under the nose of unsuspecting family members. All too often children are raiding the family medicine cabinet or buying drugs in the school yard from other children.
Senior citizens are being prescribed addictive drugs like never before and many are becoming addicted.
There is no doubt that doctors have been party to the eclipse of their own stature, but things are changing. Medical schools, hospitals and Physician groups have fanned the embers and a sense of ethics still burns as evidenced by recent editorials in their own journals and attempts to limit financial ties to pharmaceutical companies.
While it is easy to blame doctors or pharmaceutical companies, individuals will listen to friends, family, churches and school. Effective drug prevention and education are the ultimate solution.
Unless we begin to take action against the abuse problem, we as a country will find ourselves overwhelmed by those addicted to drugs. It is our responsibility to put this problem on the front page of every newspaper and in front of every legislative person who will listen. Our children, our friends and family are all at risk.
For those who are addicted, immediate drug treatment must be done as prescription drug abuse can be deadly.
Narconon of Georgia has been actively providing the public with information on prescription drug abuse through its public service announcement and free brochures. A collaborative “Operation Medicine Cabinet” event is planned for later in the month with a local Sheriff’s office. The public are encouraged to bring their unused prescription medications in exchange for gift cards. Other communities are encouraged to do the same.
