In US, an Epidemic of Prescription Drug Abuse


 

In US, an Epidemic of Prescription Drug Abuse – This is the VOA Special English Health Report from voaspecialenglish.com | http Officials in the United States say deadly abuse of painkillers and other prescription drugs has reached epidemic levels. More than thirty-six thousand people died from drug overdoses in two thousand eight, the latest year available. That was almost as many as from road crashes. More than half of the overdoses involved drugs that need a doctor’s approval. And three-fourths of those deaths involved what are called opioid pain relievers. These include drugs like methadone; morphine; hydrocodone, also known as Vicodin; and oxycodone, or OxyContin. Death rates from prescription drugs were highest among people forty-five to fifty-four years old.A recent government report said painkiller deaths more than tripled in the past decade. They now top the number of heroin and cocaine deaths combined. The Obama administration released a plan last year to try to deal with the problem. Some abusers seek help at places like the Malibu Beach Recovery Center near Los Angeles. They learn yoga and other ways to deal with anxiety, stress and pain. Joan Borsten heads the center. She says stopping is difficult because “in the case of pain pills, the body has stopped producing its natural defenses to pain,” and users have to have more and more. Around the country, special drug courts work with addicts to get them counseling and treatment. Mary Ann Gunn is a retired drug-court judge. She now appears on “Last Shot With

 

Inyambo Troupe to Fight Drug Abuse

Filed under: drug addiction help now

Iyambo Troupe are joining the fight against drug abuse, according to Ndjoli Kayitankore, (better known as Kanyombya), the man who heads the group of actors. "As we entertain, we have now decided that we have the responsibility of rescuing the youth who …
Read more on AllAfrica.com

 

RI offers school to help teenagers with drug addiction

Filed under: drug addiction help now

Now he is one of four students enrolled at the Anchor Learning Academy, a specialized “recovery” high school designed to help teens who have struggled with substance abuse stay clean while catching up on their studies. The school, which opened last …
Read more on Worcester Telegram

 

From Twitter:

It is estimated that each alcoholic affects the lives of at least four other people. http://t.co/RbwyvrmO – by ChangngLives (Changing Lives )

 

From Twitter:

RT @ChangngLives: RT @ChangngLives: “He cuts through the junk and spells things out in a short, sweet and no nonsense manner.” http://t.co/NzTwklJX – by GREENDETECTIVE (GREEN DETECTIVE)