What are some suggestions for preventing abuse of and addiction to prescription pain medications?
We need increased awareness about the misuse of prescription painkillers. State medical boards need to examine the problem of overprescribing and offer training about addiction and appropriate prescribing of pain meds. More training is needed for medical students, nursing students and other caregivers. Law enforcement needs laws and resources to shut down “pill mills,” Internet prescribers and unscrupulous physicians. For the individual, it is important to obtain prescriptions from only one physician and to use medications only as prescribed.
