Sharpe Rise of Opioid Drugs Abuse in United State

Implications: This article is sad but consistent with overall increase use / abuse of opioids pain killers such as morphine, oxycodone, and hydrocodone. As a pharmacist & pharmaceutical consultant I think these are main reasons for alarming increase of opioids drugs use in America: The population is getting older. As age increases, so does the need for pain medications such as opiodsPharmaceutical companies have embarked on unprecedented marketing campaigns.A major change in pain management philosophy is now in its third decade. this leads to liberal use of opiodsMore people are abusing prescription painkillers because the medications are more available.I think that it is impossible to reliably measure painkiller abuse. Therefore we have to educate patients, physicians, medical community about the opiods us and abuse potential. We must help drug abuser such as Steve Dotson with medical treatment and other supports. Also we should improve DEA enforcement of law related opiods.

Analysis: This article is sad but consistent with overall increase use / abuse of opioids pain killers such as codeine, morphine, oxycodone, and hydrocodone. Based on recant DEA data More than 200,000 pounds of codeine, morphine, oxycodone, hydrocodone and meperidine were purchased at retail stores. That total is enough to give more than 300 milligrams of painkillers to every person in the country. In Appalachia, retail sales of hydrocodone -- sold mostly as Vicodin -- are the highest in the nation. Nine of the 10 areas with the highest per-capita sales are in mostly rural parts of West Virginia, Kentucky or Tennessee

As a pharmacist & pharmaceutical consultant I think these are main reasons for alarming increase of opioids drugs use in America:

1. The population is getting older. As age increases, so does the need for pain medications. In 2000, there were 35 million people older than 65. By 2020, the Census Bureau estimates the number of elderly in the U.S. will reach 54 million.
2. Pharmaceutical companies have embarked on unprecedented marketing campaigns. Spending on drug marketing has gone from $11 billion in 1997 to nearly $30 billion in 2005,
3. A major change in pain management philosophy is now in its third decade. Physicians now see pain management as an important ingredient in overcoming illness. This change in trend leads to liberal use of opiods.
4. More people are abusing prescription painkillers because the medications are more available. The vast majority of people with prescriptions use the drugs safely. But the number of emergency room visits from painkiller abuse has increased more than 160 percent since 1995, according to DEA
5. I think that it is impossible to reliably measure painkiller abuse. Therefore we have to educate patients, physicians, medical community about the opiods us and abuse potential. We must help drug abuser such as Steve Dotson with medical treatment and other supports. Also we should improve DEA enforcement of law related opiods.

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