It has become so common. Legal drug addiction. So many people are getting addicted to their pain killers. People who have never had any drug use have an accident, or put their back out, suffer some kind of pain and get prescribed an opiate pain killer and get addicted.
Worse yet, these drugs are easy for teens to get a hold of. Check out the medicine cabinet and there are all the goodies. Oh guess what you can get them on the internet too. Police reports of Pharma Parties are becoming common within the younger and younger crowds.
We need to wake up here. We are talking about opiate drugs - very addictive and lethal.
The International Narcotic Control Board estimates that 11.5 tons of oxycodone was manufactured world wide in 1998 and this grew to 75.2 tons in 2007. The United States has the highest total consumption world wide and the highest per capita consumption followed by Canada, Denmark, Australia and Norway.
A Canadian study released in November 2009 found painkillers causing twice the number of opiate deaths than two decades ago. It also found a dramatic rise in prescriptions to oxycodone found in Oxy Contin and Percocet.
With limited drug rehabilitation facilities available the brakes need to go on the prescribing of such substances.
Posts Tagged ‘Canada’
Prescription Abuse
Tuesday, December 29th, 2009Prescription Drug Abuse
Thursday, November 26th, 2009The abuse and addiction to prescription drugs amongst young people is reported to be escalating across the continent. From West Virginia to California and up into Canada young people are using prescription drugs like never before.
They are using various opiates - all the oxy’s, vicodin, percocets, lortabs etc., then there are benzodiazepines xanax, clonazepam or Klonopin and other drugs in this class. Ritalin, Cylert and Adderall are common amphetimines.
The use of these drugs by young people is frequent because of availability. Sometimes they can find them right at home in the medicine cabinet, if they can’t often a friend can. As well there are times when a doctor will prescribe to someone not understanding the full story. Of course they are all available on the street and the dealers know where to find customers.
So parents, lock up our medications, properly dispose of unused medications by returning them to the pharmacy, and talk to your children about risky behaviors in a non-accusative manner, just give them information and find out their opinions.
Thank You To All Those Who Served
Thursday, November 12th, 2009In Canada it is called Remembrance Day, in America it is called Veterans Day, the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. This year is the 91st anniversary of the Armistice signed that ended WW I. It is the day we give thought and remember those who served their country in times of war.
I say thank you loudly to those gone and those still around. I think of my Dad in WW II and I think what a great, full life he lived after four years of active service in the Atlantic in WW II.
I also think of the calls I have taken from living Veterans from more recent wars. Their stories are a shame on our Nations. The ones who call for help with drug or alcohol addiction are on their own for the most part. Yes, some of them got some treatment, unfortunately in modern times all too often that is a quick in and out and a prescription remedy for Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. I personally have felt guilty with lack of funding to get some of these veterans into first class or even moderately priced facilities where they will get safe drug free treatment.
However, I still appreciate them and what ever it is that compels our young me to take up the military as a duty. I wish them all safe home.