Prescription painkiller overdoses killed nearly 15,000 people in the US in the year 2008. This is more than 3 times the 4,000 people killed by these drugs in 1999.
Prescription painkiller overdoses killed nearly 15,000 people in the US in the year 2008. This is more than 3 times the 4,000 people killed by these drugs in 1999.

The number of Americans who died from overdoses of prescription painkillers more than tripled in the past decade...
Prescription Painkillers - The number of Americans who died from overdoses of prescription painkillers more than tripled in the past decade, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Workers Comp - Hydrocodone BIT acetaminophen is included in more than 20 percent of the narcotics prescribed in the...
Workers Comp - Narcotic use in workers' comp is highly concentrated by active ingredient. For example, hydrocodone BIT/acetaminophen is included in more than 20 percent of the narcotics prescribed in the workers' comp system. Other active ingredients that were dominantly present included oxycodone HCL, oxycodone HCL with acetaminophen, fentanyl, morphine sulphate, oxymorphone HCL, and fentanyl citrate.

Narcotics Research - Thomson Reuters Health Poll, we asked Americans about their experience with narcotic painkillers...
Narcotics Research - In the latest NPR- Thomson Reuters Health Poll, we asked Americans about their experience with narcotic painkillers and their views about the drugs. Half the respondents said they had been prescribed a narcotic painkiller at least once. More than three-quarters said the drugs are linked to addiction. Among those who said they'd received a painkiller, about 31 percent said they'd received a medicine to relieve chronic pain. Some 88 percent said they'd been prescribed a narcotic to help with acute pain caused by such things as injuries and surgery. (Some people had been prescribed narcotics for both types of pain.) A little more than a third of respondents who have used they medicines said they had concerns about them. The top issues were side effects (45 percent) and fear of addiction (27 percent). About 30 percent of those who said they hadn't used the painkillers said they had concerns about them. The fear of addiction was the top worry (38 percent) followed by narcotics' association with drug abuse (25 percent). Finally, 31 percent of people polled said they'd questioned or refused a doctor's recommendation of painkillers. 30.5% of respondents who reported using narcotic painkillers did so for chronic pain, a rate that decreased among respondents with higher income and more education. 88% of respondents who said they had used narcotic painkillers did so for acute pain, while 4.6% said they had used them for pain associated with cancer. Over three-quarters (77.2%) of all respondents said they believe narcotic painkillers are linked to drug addiction, while 59.5% associate narcotic painkillers with depression. Over one-third (36.1%) of respondents who had used narcotic pain killers did so despite having concerns regarding their use. The top concern among painkiller users was potential side effects (44.9%), followed by fear of addiction (27.5%), and concern about potential long-term health impacts (15.5%). Those who have not used painkillers cited fear of addiction as their primary concern (38%), followed by association with drug abuse (24.8%), and side effects (20.4%). 30.8% of respondents said they questioned or refused a physician’s recommendation of painkillers.

Prescription Painkillers - An estimated 14,800 people died in the United States from painkiller overdoses in 2008...
Prescription Painkillers - An estimated 14,800 people died in the United States from painkiller overdoses in 2008, a more than threefold jump from the 4,000 deaths recorded in 1999”

Narcotics Research - The top 1 percent of narcotic users consume 40 percent of all narcotics," NCCI reported...
Narcotics Research - The top 1 percent of narcotic users consume 40 percent of all narcotics," NCCI reported.

Workers Comp - In 2001, the average cost per claim for narcotics was $18 and has increased to $35 in 2009...
Workers Comp - In 2001, the average cost per claim for narcotics was $18. It rose to $29 in 2005 and held relatively steady for the next several years, but increased to $35 in 2009.

30.5% of respondents who reported using narcotic painkillers did so for chronic pain...
30.5% of respondents who reported using narcotic painkillers did so for chronic pain, a rate that decreased among respondents with higher income and more education. 88% of respondents who said they had used narcotic painkillers did so for acute pain, while 4.6% said they had used them for pain associated with cancer. Over three-quarters (77.2%) of all respondents said they believe narcotic painkillers are linked to drug addiction, while 59.5% associate narcotic painkillers with depression. Over one-third (36.1%) of respondents who had used narcotic pain killers did so despite having concerns regarding their use. The top concern among painkiller users was potential side effects (44.9%), followed by fear of addiction (27.5%), and concern about potential long-term health impacts (15.5%). Those who have not used painkillers cited fear of addiction as their primary concern (38%), followed by association with drug abuse (24.8%), and side effects (20.4%). 30.8% of respondents said they questioned or refused a physician's recommendation of painkillers.

Narcotics Research - The top 10 percent of narcotic users in the workers' comp system consume 80 percent of all narcotics.
Narcotics Research - The top 5 percent of users consume more than 70 percent, and the top 10 percent of narcotic users in the workers' comp system consume 80 percent of all narcotics.

Prescription Painkillers - More people now die from painkillers than from heroin and cocaine combined.
Prescription Painkillers - More people now die from painkillers than from heroin and cocaine combined.

8.2% of high school seniors reported past year use of Amphetamines in 2011, up from 6.6% in 2009...
After marijuana, prescription and over the counter medications account for most of the top illicit drugs abused by 12th graders in the past year. On the positive side, past year nonmedical use of Vicodin by 10th graders declined from 7.7% in 2010 to 5.9% in 2011 and the decrease in the use of Vicodin by high school seniors reported last year remained unchanged, albeit at an unacceptably high level of 8.1% in this year’s survey. However, OxyContin use remains an area of concern with past year nonmedical use holding steady across all the three grades for the past 5 years. The abuse of stimulants is also cause for alarm. For example, 8.2% of high school seniors reported past year use of Amphetamines in 2011, up from 6.6% in 2009.

Workers Comp - In 2001, 8% of medical claims received narcotics within 1 year from injury. By 2004 it was 11%, and by 2008...
Workers Comp - The share of medical claims receiving narcotics within one year after injury has increased. In 2001, 8 percent of medical claims received narcotics within one year following injury. By 2004 it was 11 percent, and by 2008 it was 13 percent.

NIDA - 90 days of treatment in a TC have significantly better outcomes on average than those who stay for shorter periods.
Good outcomes from TC treatment are strongly related to treatment duration, which likely reflects benefits derived from the underlying treatment process. Still, treatment duration is a convenient, robust predictor of good outcomes. Individuals who complete at least 90 days of treatment in a TC have significantly better outcomes on average than those who stay for shorter periods.

Nearly half a million emergency department visits in the year 2009 were due to people misusing or abusing pain killer prescription painkillers.
Nearly half a million emergency department visits in the year 2009 were due to people misusing or abusing prescription painkillers.

Report from the Center of Disease Control & Prevention states that Prescription Pain Medication kills more people each year than heroin and cocaine combined.
Report from the Center of Disease Control & Prevention states that Prescription Pain Medication kills more people each year than heroin and cocaine combined.

Journal of American Medical Association found the number of infants born with neonatal abstinence syndrome has tripled between 2000 and 2009.
The Journal of American Medical Association reviewed hospital billing data from hospitals across from the US examining pregnant mothers using opiates and found the number of infants born with neonatal abstinence syndrome has tripled between 2000 and 2009.