Prescription drug abuse is a serious problem that has grown significantly in recent years. Deaths from prescription drug overdoses now exceed those from cocaine and heroin. While many people take prescription drugs safely under medical supervision, addiction can happen when they are misused or abused over long periods of time. Doctor shopping and prescription forgery are illegal means some people use to obtain prescription drugs, which carry legal penalties. The government is working to curb both the illegal importation of drugs and the abuse of pharmaceuticals available domestically to protect public health.

1. Prescription Medication:Get Informed! By: David A. Steidl

2. What do these celebs have in common?

3. Prescription Drug AbuseAlthough many prescription drugs are used to reduce symptoms they can easily be abused.Addiction is not prejudiced it can affect anyone.We only hear about famous people that have suffered it’s wrath.Besides being great actors and actresses, did anybody notice anything else about the last slide?

4. What do these celebs have in common?

5. Facts:The CDC reported that from 1999 to 2004, unintentional poisoning deaths from prescription drugs grew 84% to 20,950 deaths.(Akre14)Deaths from prescription drugs have overtaken cocaine and heroin combined.(Akre15)In the past year, abuse of prescription pain killers now ranks second, only behind marijuana, as the nations most prevalent illegal drug problem.(Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention1)

6. How Addiction Happens:Many prescription drugs create mental and physical dependence.As millions of people do every day, Deborah, a fifty year old stay at home mom was prescribed pain killers for her rheumatoid arthritis.After ten years she relied on her pills to make it through the day. “I wasn’t trying to abuse it,” Deborah said. She is now recovering from her addiction.

7. They Must Be Safe!!

8. Doctor Shopping? What is doctor shopping?

9. According to the DEA this often occurs when the amount of pills one doctor prescribes is not enough.

10. This type of behavior also leads to other illegal activities such as forging prescriptions.(Prescription Drug Abuse 2)

11. Both “Doctor Shopping” and Prescription Forgery are punishable by law usually including jail time.Government Involvement Drug Czar, Gil Kerlikowske, said, “We get overly concerned about drugs coming in, but the pharmaceuticals are here already.” (Leinward 2)

12. It’s All Good.

13. Protect Loved Ones