Current statistics and case studies further investigate the rise in serious prescription drug overdoses in the United States. It is becoming a very serious problem, especially seen in Hollywood when we hear about Heath Ledger, Michael Jackson, and Anna Nicole Smith.
Here are some statistics stated in the article:
-Between 1999 and 2006, US hospital admissions due to poisoning by prescription opioids (morphine, methadone, OxyContin) sedatives and tranquilizers rose from approximately 43,000 to about 71,000.
-Accidental - or unintentional -- poisoning by opioids, sedatives and tranquilizers rose by 37 percent during the 7-year study period, while unintentional poisonings by other substances increased by just 21 percent.
-In a study reported by Reuters Health earlier this year, researchers followed nearly 10,000 adults who had received at least three opioid prescriptions within 90 days to treat chronic pain like back pain. Of these, 51 experienced at least one overdose, and six died as a result. The researchers also found that the higher the painkiller dose, the more likely the patients were to overdose.
-"...suicide, self-inflicted poisoning, or poisoning someone else -- from prescription opioids, sedatives, and tranquilizers more than doubled, from about 10,000 in 1999 to nearly 24,000 in 2006. That compared to just a 53 percent increase in intentional poisonings from other substances."
I find this very relevant and brings up the controversial topic of legalizing marijuana in California. Imagine if it were to be legalized, people would treat it as a prescription drug that could be easily obtained. Although they are very beneficial to cancer patients, people who want the drugs for no medical reason, and just to feel high and get addicted will most likely abuse the drug just like how people are now with the use of prescription drugs. There are arguments that maybe by legalizing marijuana, people would not try so hard to obtain it because they are not criminalized for having it. Because marijuana is illegal, addicts are able to get it through black markets and will do whatever they can in order to get it.
Are prescription drugs less/more/equal to the danger of legalizing marijuana?
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
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3 comments:
That's so sad. "The researchers also found that the higher the painkiller dose, the more likely the patients were to overdose." It makes sense though. Too bad it would take too much money and time to require people at extreme conditions to go to a hospital every time they needed a higher painkiller dose as to be safe. People who are desperate for relief from pain might think a little bit more will do better but there are costs to everything.
How awful!!! This is horrible that prescription drugs are being overdosed more. Prescriptions are meant to be trusted without many worries. This rise in overdoses puts in to question whether prescriptioin drugs are really safe. I believe we should put more supervision on prescription drug users. Overdoses are a small mistake, but can have disastrous consequences. I hope overdoses do not conitinute to increase.
I'm pretty sure that prescription drugs are a lot more dangerous than marijuana. If anything, I think legalizing marijuana will make it safer, by legitimizing the production of it. Marijuana is not physically addictive, and besides, people already abuse the system n weaseling prescriptions for medical marijuana so I don't think it's that much of a danger. Prescription drugs, on the other hand, include many painkillers and other narcotics that ARE addictive and can be easily overdosed with.
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