Pharming Parties: Prescription Drug Abuse Essay

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According to a Columbia University's National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) report, about 75% of prescription-drug abusers also use illicit drugs with their prescription drug of choice (Banta 2005, p.1).

Some teens steal the drugs from their parents, some buy them on the Internet, and others buy them from dealers who steal them from hospitals. Even middle school 'pharming' parties have been reported: preteens that lack the street smarts to have regular access to illegal drugs might still be able to find a source within their suburban communities (Ferraresi 2009). "Last year I had gum surgery, and I thought, well, at least I'll get painkillers," said a frequent participant in pharming parties (Banta 2005, p.1).

There is no single demographic profile of a prescription drug-abusing teen. However, no matter how young or how old, clearly these 'party-goers' do not appreciate the seriousness of the issue: "Overdoses of prescription and over-the-counter drugs accounted for about one-quarter of the 1.3 million drug-related emergency room admissions in 2004, the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reported" (Leinwand 2006).

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ER doctors are reporting increasingly toxic doses and 'strange' combinations of drugs (such as a mix of stimulant and sedative medication) that clearly were not the result of a mere accidental overdose of a prescribed medication. Unless there is greater awareness of the risks of 'pharming' parties amongst teens, doctors, and parents so they can spot the signs of abuse before it is too late, the problem will escalate. And a profound culture shift must also occur, for America as a whole to wean itself from a 'pill popping' mentality......

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