Prescription drug abuse is the fastest growing drug problem in America and has been classified as an epidemic by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).[i] Every 14 minutes, an American dies from a drug overdose - leading to 100 deaths per day in the U.S.[ii][iii] In fact, today, unintentional prescription opioid overdoses kill more Americans than cocaine and heroin combined.[iv]
Death rates from drug overdoses among women have risen more sharply over the last decade than for men, and more women now die of overdoses from pain pills like OxyContin than from cervical cancer or homicide.[v]
In 2009, more than 7 million Americans reported having used prescription medication for non-medical purposes.[vi] This is especially alarming because that number includes 12 and 13-year-olds, who report abusing prescription drugs more than any other type of drug. Statistics show that 7 out of 10 prescription pain relief abusers get their drugs from family and friends.[vii]
