Drug Rehab Cites Gateway Drugs Shifting From Marijuana to Prescription Opioids.

Mountainside Drug Rehab and Alcoholism Treatment Center recently published findings in a study indicating a sharp increase in admissions for substances such as Oxycontin, Vicoden and other Prescription pain medications.

A growing problem in suburban America is the abuse of prescription drugs such as Oxycontin. Adolescent males and females now seek out their next high not as much on the street corner but in medicine cabinets in their own homes.  They are searching for the new gateway drugs of choice, drugs like Oxycontin and Vicoden a class known as opioids. The difference between the gateway drugs of old and the new gateway drugs is that the new gateway drugs are far more addictive and are more likely to lead to illicit drugs such as heroin which is in the same drug class as these prescription medications. This class of drugs is quick to make the body dependant, making the transition from recreational use of the drugs to addiction fairly swift.

In several cases, the youth that seek out theses drugs (most commonly the pain killers) end up going down the long dark road of heroin addiction. As their addiction begins, teens often wind up paying upwards of eighty dollars for a single Oxycontin pill. This quickly becomes too expensive, leading to far less expensive alternatives such as heroin which can be as little as 1/5 – 1/10^th the cost of Oxycontin. Once this transition begins, the decent in to addiction can be quick. Family connections begin to break, social responsibilities go to the wayside.

Up to 2,500 youth, ages 12 through 17 try a prescription pain reliever for the first time every day. Those numbers translate in to a large number of potential people suffering from heroin addiction who will need to be pulled back from the edge.

Sometimes a professional intervention is a very effective way to break down the barriers of addiction and get the person abusing drugs or alcohol in to a treatment center for drug abuse or alcoholism.

Mountainside Drug Rehab and Alcohol Treatment Center has been helping people recover from drug addiction and alcoholism for over 12 years.

Mountainside Drug Rehab and Alcohol Treatment Center has been helping people recover from alcoholism for over 12 years.

It's licensed and credentialed counselors and clinical staff includes Advanced Nurse Practitioners who specialize in drug addiction and alcoholism treatment. The highly capable drug addiction treatment team is dedicated to providing compassionate and quality alcohol and drug treatment. In these hard economic times - Mountainside Drug Rehab is there to help. Please contact us at the number below or visit it's website at (www.mountainside.org).

If you or someone you love is in need of treatment please contact us at:

800-762-5433