Washington Post (01/13/12) Huget, Jennifer LaRue
An article in a recent CDC bulletin highlights the extent to which people in this country abuse — and overdose on — prescription drugs. According to the report, unintentional drug overdose death rates have risen dramatically in recent years, fueled by increasing use of opioid analgesics. Since 2003, the report says, more overdose deaths have involved these painkillers than heroin and cocaine combined. The report says about 9 million people use such opioids long term and for medical purposes — and about 5 million use them for “nonmedical” purposes, meaning without a prescription or medical need. It further notes, “In an attempt to treat patient pain better, practitioners have greatly increase their rate of opioid prescribing over the past decade,” with the amount prescribed per person jumping by 600 percent from 1997 to 2007.

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