Summaries Of Drug Articles

In the November 16, 2005 issue of the New York Times, Young, Assured and playing pharmacist to friends Amy Haron says that prescription drug use is on the rise because the behavior is significantly different from that of other drugs such as Marijuana or Cocaine where people use it mainly to get high. For most users, the goal is not usually to just get high, it is to make them feel better, relieve depression or stress or help them to not worry about things. Others tend to use it for every little mood fluctuation or a self diagnosed mental disorder in which they would otherwise need to see a physician for a prescription.

In NIDA InfoFacts: prescription pain and other medications the author states there are 3 commonly abused prescription medications, Opioids- general pain killers, CNS Depressants- drugs generally used to treat depression, anxiety and other sleep disorders, and Stimulants- Drugs used to treat narcolepsy, ADD and ADHD.

Opioids act with the brain by attaching itself to specific proteins called opioid receptors found in the brain, spinal cord and GI tract. When the medication attaches itself and is distributed throughout the body it changes the way the user experiences pain. One specific drug, OxyContin is a CR (controlled release) form or drug so it attaches itself to the protein, but releases surges of pain killing stimulation periodically throughout a 24 time span, to control the pain constantly throughout the day. Using these creates significant dependency, not only because your body is used to feeling no pain, but it is dependent on the drug.

Ending use of these types of drugs can cause restlessness, muscle and bone pain, insomnia, severe vomiting, cold flashes, continuous goose bumps and involuntary leg movements that may resemble a seizure.

A 2004 survey conducted by the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) on high school student, the estimated number of people age 12 or older abusing OxyContin