Let’s check your knowledge of current events under the heading pain killer pills. Here are three quick true-false questions:

1. The number of prescription pain killer pill users on drugs stronger than morphine went down from 17% to 37%.
2. Women are more likely to abuse painkillers.
3. There are enough pain killer prescriptions written yearly for half of all Americans to receive one bottle.

How Did You Do?

These questions originated from some updated research data from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). There have been many initiatives at the federal and state levels on the over use of prescription painkillers in the US, along with pill mills and drug abuse related to pain killer pills. Ideally improvement should have been made. Moreover, the answers, please:

1. False. The number of stronger-than-morphine prescription pain killer users went UP from 17 to 37% when comparing data in 2011-2012 with data from a decade prior to that. Some of these prescriptions are, of course, for legitimate use. However, how many lead to dependency and ultimately addiction? How many are not for used legitimate purposes? These numbers do not even reflect pill mill production.
2. True. This is a flip-flop from the previous data.
3. False. There are 259 million painkiller prescriptions written yearly, enough for every adult American to receive a bottle.

Bad News, More Abuse Concerns

In an ideal world, and if the trends had dropped as hoped, there would be less pain killer pill abuse. Translated, that means fewer people needing help for an addiction that has compromised their bodies, relationships, jobs and families. Las Vegas Recovery Center will continue to be here to help those that need use for drug addiction and underlying mental health concerns. Add your thoughts and comments below and follow us on Facebook!