Prescription Drug Poisionings on the Rise

A recent study conducted by Jeffrey H. Coben, M.D. of the West Virginia University School of Medicine says that between the years of 1999 and 2006, there was a 65% increase of poisionings from prescription tranquilizers, sedatives, and opioids. According to WebMD, "Opioids can produce a feeling of euphoria, leading to their recreational use. Tranquilizers and sedatives reduce tension and anxiety and can induce sleep." Some commonly abused prescription drugs include valium, xanax, ambien, and lunesta. The study found that unintentional poisoning is now the second leading cause of unintentional injury death in the United States. It also discovered that intentional poisonings from prescription opioids, sedatives, and tranquilizers rose 130% during the seven-year period, compared to 53% in intentional poisonings from other substances. These statistics were studied by researchers who used the Nationwide Inpatient Sample database, which contains records for eight million hospitalizations each year; however, even though the progress made has been helpful, there is still much research to be done in order to fight this growing epidemic. This study can be found in the April issue of the American Journal of Preventative Medicine.