A Los Angeles Times analysis of government information has uncovered that drug deaths outnumber traffic fatalities in the United States today.
In 2009 deaths from drug overdoses exceeded vehicle accidents. Overdoses were responsible for 37,485 people nationwide according to a survey from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
It was noted that traffic accidents have been dropping for many years and that is because of investments in auto safety. On the other hand the death toll for overdosing has doubled in the last 10 years. Every 14 minutes a life is claimed.
The government started tracking drug-induced deaths as far back as 1979 and they are saying that our prescription drug problem has become an epidemic. Having drugs causing more fatalities than traffic accidents is of big concern.
What is adding fuel to the fire of prescription drug deaths are pain and anxiety drugs that are highly addictive and potent. This drug is now being mixed with alcohol and with other drugs and this is very dangerous.
Oxycontin, Vicodin, Xanax and Soma are some named drugs out there now. Fentanyl is a painkiller that comes in different forms. It is new and many times more powerful than morphine. It is reported that it is causing more deaths than the use of heroin and cocaine combined.
Some of us get physical problems and take prescribed medications for the pain then we become addicted. Some teenagers get these prescription drugs from their parent’s cabinet and they pop these pills to get high. This kind of thing is going on everywhere. The Los Angeles Times quoted the Sheriff of Santa Barbara, Salinas, as saying, “The problem is right here under our noses in our medicine cabinets”.
Autopsy reports in Southern California tell a true story of how prescription drug deaths are occurring. A groom who was nervous because of his upcoming wedding overdosed on a cocktail of prescription drugs. A grandmother who had chronic back pain forgot she had already taken her pills and she double dosed herself. A young man who was going into the army just passed his physical took a handful of painkillers while celebrating his success. The list goes on. This is what is happening day after day.
More than 10 years ago doctors started to prescribe these medications to one and all in an effort to combat physical pain. The medications were so readily available. Pharmaceutical manufacturers went on an aggressive sales campaign way back then. This is how the problems all began.
Most people get a prescription from their doctor and they feel safe. They don’t get the idea that the medication may be dangerous to their health. Then they get addicted and need more and more and the problem really gets worse. Young people see their parents’ behavior and they learn from that; these prescription drugs have to be safe because they think mom and Dad are doing them it must be OK.
Experts feel that the best defense is an offense: get educated about all drugs, even the
prescription drugs commonly abused, and don’t start abusing them to begin with.
