Dr. Mel Pohl Attends White House Meeting on Alarming Prescription Drug Abuse Rates and Reduction Efforts

Las Vegas, NV—Dr. Mel Pohl, Medical Director of Las Vegas Recovery Center (LVRC) was invited to meet with Deputy Director Scott Burns and key members of his staff from the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) on Tuesday, December 11.This meeting was part of an ONDCP initiative focused on discussing the marked and steady increase of prescription drug abuse and the prevention and treatment needed to address these national trends, especially with adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17.

“I am pleased to have the opportunity to participate in this national forum relative to the issue of prescription drug abuse, reduction, and treatment,” said Dr. Pohl. “At Las Vegas Recovery Center we see our share of young adults just out of their adolescent years who are already seriously addicted to opiate analgesics and other prescribed pain medicines,” Pohl continued. Many classes of prescribed drugs have a real potential for leading to addiction, especially if abused repeatedly, at high doses, and/or by susceptible individuals.

According to the ONDCP, overall use of illicit drugs has steadily decreased over the last five years with this young population, but it seems to have been replaced by abuse of prescription drugs. The trends in adolescents are particularly problematic because adolescence is the period of greatest risk, not only for drug experimentation, but also for interference of physiological developmental phases. Particularly dangerous is when young people indiscriminately mix and share prescription drugs or combine them with alcohol or other drugs.

Dr. Pohl was asked to participate in the ONDCP initiative because of his expertise in drug addiction medicine and his dedication to reducing substance abuse through wide-ranging recovery efforts. A press release by ONDCP concerning this project is available by visiting www.WhiteHouseDrugPolicy.gov.

Mel Pohl, MD, FASAM, is a Board-Certified Family Practitioner and a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Nevada School of Medicine. Dr. Pohl is a major force in developing the Chronic Pain Rehabilitation Program at LVRC. Dr. Pohl is a nationally-known public speaker and one of the only addiction specialists in Las Vegas who is committed to treating those with addictive disease. He is a fellow of both the American Society of Addiction Medicine and the American Academy of Family Practice. He is also co-author of The Caregivers Journey: When You Love Someone with AIDS and Staying Sane: When you Care for Someone with Chronic Illness.

About ONDCP
The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), a component of the Executive Office of the President, was established by the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988. Please refer to today’s Youth Drug Use Declines report available at www.WhiteHouseDrugPolicy.gov, relative to this story.

About Las Vegas Recovery Center
Las Vegas Recovery Center (LVRC), a Central Recovery Treatment company, is dedicated to providing a complete continuum of care including medically managed detoxification, chronic pain and concurrent addiction treatment, inpatient and outpatient treatment, aftercare, and a comprehensive family program. LVRC is located at 3371 North Buffalo Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89129. LVRC is the only private, free-standing, chemical dependency and chronic pain facility located in Nevada that is licensed by the State of Nevada and accredited by the Joint Commission. LVRC is situated in a privately owned, state-of-the-art facility housed in a beautiful, safe, and secure compound. Information: (702) 515-1373. Admissions: (800) 790-0091. www.lasvegasrecovery.com.

Contact Info:
Doreen Alvarado
Public Relations Manager
Las Vegas Recovery Center
Direct: (702) 880-8234
Main: (702) 515-1374
Email:dalvarado@centralrecovery.com