2008 Woodie Awards
In Good Health
Holly Peek
Health Columnist
HollyPeek1985@aol.com
Issue date: 4/9/07 Section: Lifestyles
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Recent reports found that Anna Nicole Smith's death was due to a prescription drug overdose. Eleven prescription medications were found in Smith's hotel room at the time of her death, with more than 600 pills missing from only five week-old-prescriptions.
Although Smith's death seems to be just as outrageous as her life, prescription drug abuse is very common in the United States and is on the rise. Abuse of prescription drugs now ranks second, behind marijuana, for the nation's most prevalent illegal drug problem. Some health officials now refer to today's teenagers and young adults as "Generation Rx" for their increased abuse of prescription and over-the-counter medication. In fact, studies show that one in five teenagers has abused a prescription medication.
Prescription and over-the-counter drug abuse is attractive to many young adults because of the ease of accessibility and the false sense of safety. These drugs can be easily obtained from the family medicine cabinet, the supermarket or even the Internet. When compared with street drugs such as cocaine and ecstasy, prescription drugs seem safe because they are doctor prescribed and FDA approved. Because of this false sense of safety many people abuse these drugs in order to get "buzzed" or "high." However, when these drugs are used in unintended ways, they prove to be just as addictive and dangerous as street drugs.
There are three main types of drugs that are commonly abused and each drug type can cause serious health issues. Opiates, or pain killers, include drugs such as morphine, OxyContin and Percocet. The abuse of these drugs can cause a lack of energy, nausea and respiratory depression.
Depressants, or "downers," are used to treat anxiety and sleeping disorders and include drugs such as Valium and Xanax. When abused, these can cause loss of coordination, respiratory depression, lowered blood pressure, confusion and, in serious cases, coma or death.
Stimulants, or "uppers," are used to treat disorders such as attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and include drugs such as Adderall and Ritalin. The abuse of these drugs can cause increased heart and respiration rates, which induce excessive sweating, vomiting, aggression, convulsions and even cardiovascular collapse.
Although Smith's death seems to be just as outrageous as her life, prescription drug abuse is very common in the United States and is on the rise. Abuse of prescription drugs now ranks second, behind marijuana, for the nation's most prevalent illegal drug problem. Some health officials now refer to today's teenagers and young adults as "Generation Rx" for their increased abuse of prescription and over-the-counter medication. In fact, studies show that one in five teenagers has abused a prescription medication.
Prescription and over-the-counter drug abuse is attractive to many young adults because of the ease of accessibility and the false sense of safety. These drugs can be easily obtained from the family medicine cabinet, the supermarket or even the Internet. When compared with street drugs such as cocaine and ecstasy, prescription drugs seem safe because they are doctor prescribed and FDA approved. Because of this false sense of safety many people abuse these drugs in order to get "buzzed" or "high." However, when these drugs are used in unintended ways, they prove to be just as addictive and dangerous as street drugs.
There are three main types of drugs that are commonly abused and each drug type can cause serious health issues. Opiates, or pain killers, include drugs such as morphine, OxyContin and Percocet. The abuse of these drugs can cause a lack of energy, nausea and respiratory depression.
Depressants, or "downers," are used to treat anxiety and sleeping disorders and include drugs such as Valium and Xanax. When abused, these can cause loss of coordination, respiratory depression, lowered blood pressure, confusion and, in serious cases, coma or death.
Stimulants, or "uppers," are used to treat disorders such as attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and include drugs such as Adderall and Ritalin. The abuse of these drugs can cause increased heart and respiration rates, which induce excessive sweating, vomiting, aggression, convulsions and even cardiovascular collapse.
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