Abuse of prescription medicine afflicts 15 million, study shows

[question everything]

Abuse of prescription medicine afflicts 15 million, study shows

By Andrea Nurko
COX NEWS SERVICE

July 8, 2005

WASHINGTON – The number of Americans abusing prescription medicine has nearly doubled in the past decade, while teen prescription abuse has tripled, researchers reported yesterday.

More than 15 million Americans older than 12 reported using prescriptions for nonmedical purposes in 2003, up from 7.8 million in 1992, according to the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, which conducted the three-year study.

The number of people ages 12 to 17 abusing the drugs grew by 212 percent, while the number of adult abusers climbed by 81 percent, the study found.

Researchers attributed the increase, particularly among teens, to the proliferation of prescriptions, the availability of the drugs on the Internet, increased drug marketing on television and a lack of parental oversight.

More..

Find this article at:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20050708/news_1n8medabuse.html

[Deja Q]

1. So do doctors who won't be bothered to listen when their patients complain

of side-effects and other problems.

But who's going to keep an eye on the quacks anyhow? The abusers (except for Rushie-poo) are the real problem. :eyes: