Prescription+Painkiller+Overdose

" Although many types of prescription drugs are abused, there is currently a growing, deadly epidemic of prescription painkiller abuse. Nearly three out of four prescription drug overdoses are caused by prescription painkillers—also called opioid pain relievers. The unprecedented rise in overdose deaths in the US parallels a 300% increase since 1999 in the sale of these strong painkillers. 4  These drugs were involved in 14,800 overdose deaths in 2008, more than cocaine and heroin combined. 4 The misuse and abuse of prescription painkillers was responsible for more than 475,000 emergency department visits in 2009, a number that nearly doubled in just five years. 6 More than 12 million people reported using prescription painkillers nonmedically in 2010, that is, using them without a prescription or for the feeling they cause. 7" []

 I thought that this is an important part of the the drugs project that we should cover. As stated many people have died from overdose. I read on some other article that they take it because as a prescription drugs they feel that it is more safe than other drugs so they start taking it. Even on TV I heard many famous people die from a prescription overdose. I learned that this kind of drug abuse causes many deaths and even more people to go to the emergency department. Those people can die any moment they decide to keep taking the painkiller. -Kerry Yeah, I totally agree with you! That was why I did a Prezi Presentation just on prescription drug abuse! And the website you used as reference, I had looked it up too. It was similar to the DEA and they both mentioned about how people now abuse more prescription drugs than the "street drugs". I think, we can actually narrow the issue down by just focusing on prescription drugs and strengthen the policies of pharmacies by raising awareness and inform public authority such as the local government? -Yating.