Why does Federal official say prescription drug addiction is a serious national health threat?
Nearly a third of new drug abusers begin their downward spiral into addiction with prescription drugs, and potent narcotic painkillers, such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, and methadone, are the first-time choice for one in every five new abusers, says a new report from the National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC). And all across the country, thousands of people who have fallen victim to prescription drug addiction are searching for treatment to help them get back their lives. Gil Kerlikowske, Director of National Drug Control Policy, has released a report on prescription drug diversion and abuse, calling non-medical use of prescription drugs a serious threat to public health and safety. According to the report, unintentional deaths involving prescription opioid painkillers increased 114 percent from 2001 to 2005, while treatment admissions increased 74 percent in the same period. Since then, unofficial figures suggest the destructive trend is only getting worse. More than 8,500 Americans
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