The American Pharmacists Association published the following article titled, “Prescription analgesics are more widely used than tobacco, new federal study finds.” The article reads as follows;
“A recent Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration report finds that 35% of American adults were given analgesic prescriptions by medical providers last year. The report indicates that in 2015, more American adults used prescription analgesics than used cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, or cigars combined. Opioid analgesics are still widespread despite recent federal efforts to impose tighter restrictions on their prescription and use. Reducing the scope of the opioid epidemic has been a priority for President Obama. Earlier this year the White House requested $1.1 billion from Congress for fighting opioid addiction. But critics have argued that DEA policies are undercutting federal efforts to curb opioid abuse. For instance, earlier this year, DEA refused to reduce restrictions on marijuana use, arguing that there was insufficient evidence of marijuana’s medical benefits. Multiple studies have found that access to medical marijuana is associated with reductions in prescription analgesic abuse and overdose rates. DEA also recently announced a plan to ban the use of kratom, a Southeast Asian plant with opiate-like qualities. Many users of kratom report that the plant has helped them quit using more powerful prescription analgesics. Researchers are worried that without kratom available to them, these users will return to prescription analgesics or move on to heroin.”
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