Prescription Painkiller Abuse
About 10 million Americans misuse prescription painkillers for nonmedical purposes.
Many young people turn to prescription drugs to get high because they believe these drugs are safer than illegal street drugs. However, they often do not realize the risks of using these powerful drugs.
Long-term use of painkillers can lead to dependence, even for people who are prescribed them for medical reasons.
A surge in prescription painkiller use in the United States began in the mid-1990s with the introduction of new opioid-based medications such as OxyContin.
These were widely marketed as having low potential for addiction, but that claim proved to be false.
What Are Painkillers?
Understanding Why Painkillers Become So Addictive
The Opioid Epidemic
Painkillers: A Short History
An International Crisis
Warning Signs of Dependency
The Truth About Drugs
How much do you really know about painkillers?
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