Tighter drug regulations may be the answer to winning the war on drugs, but those same drug regulations can cause problems for facilities such as nursing homes and convalescent centers.
While prescription drug abuse is on the increase, and all experts agree that tighter regulations are needed, agreement is being sought to find a solution for a problem that such regulations produce: decreased accessibility to narcotics for legitimate use in various housing facilities.
“While the war on prescription medication abuse is slowly being advanced, it is causing problems on other fronts,” begins a spokesperson for Mountainside Drug Rehab and Alcohol Treatment Center. “Tighter regulations within any industry always cause unforeseen challenges elsewhere. Many states have enacted laws which require pharmacists to have a written prescription prior to filling a narcotic as opposed to previous instances in which a physician or nurse was able to call in or fax in a prescription. While that certainly will cut down on fake prescriptions, facilities such as nursing homes that are unable to obtain a written prescription during off-hours, are being forced to wait until normal office operating hours or until their in-house physician comes on duty to order a prescription. Obviously, this can mean that individuals can be in pain if their medication has run out. Regulatory officials and the medical field are working to find a solution to this problem.”
The war on drug abuse is being hard fought, and gains are being made, yet in the past two years statistics show that prescription drug abuse is at a four-year high necessitating
addiction treatment for many. Tighter regulations, as well as community-based education, are keeping those rates from soaring,
Since its inception, Mountainside Drug Rehab and Alcohol Treatment Center has been committed to
creating ways that will help individuals to get and remain sober.
The compassionate, caring treatment team at Mountainside is comprised of licensed and certified counselors and social workers as well as an on-staff Nurse Practitioner and a Registered Nurse, both of whom have specializations and extensive experience in drug addiction and alcohol treatment. For clients who may have psychiatric issues and/or a dual diagnosis, Mountainside provides the services of a Psychiatrist who also has specialization in addictions. As a result of their unique, innovative approaches to addiction treatment over the past 12 years, Mountainside has become the model for the
addiction treatment field.
The program, along with its professional addiction treatment team, has earned national recognition and resulted in Mountainside being invited to Washington by the White House to meet with the White House Drug Czar, John P. Waters, for an in-depth meeting on what makes its program so successful. These accolades did not go unnoticed within the addiction treatment field and resulted in the adoption by many throughout the country of a more holistic approach to drug addiction treatment.
If you or someone you love is addicted to drugs or alcohol, or if you have any questions, please contact Mountainside
Drug Rehab and Alcohol Treatment Center for a confidential inquiry at 800-762-5433.
