Teenager prescription drug abuse and painkiller addiction. Drug opiate and alcohol addiction treatment in Alberta and British Columbia – Drug Rehabs in Calgary, Edmonton, Red Deer and other parts of Alberta by Options Okanagan Treatment Center in Kelowna, British Columbia treating heroin, fentanyl, opiate, drug addiction and recovery.
Teen Painkiller Rehabs in Alberta and BC
Teenagers and Prescription Drug Addiction
Researchers from Universities in both Canada and America found that it is fairly common for teens, who visit the emergency room, to have a history of prescription drug abuse. In fact, the study found that over 15% of these teenagers who needed to go to the ER had abused prescription painkillers or sedatives in the last year.
Prescription drug abuse has been a major concern throughout all of North America. But what may be more startling is the high use of prescription drug abuse by teenagers. In these studies, researchers wanted to research how many of the teens who left the ER were had abused prescription drugs in the past. They also wanted to see if teens visited the ER in hopes of being prescribed high powered painkillers or sedatives.
It is a fact that those who need emergency care are usually patients who have very little money and are low income. This is because these patients are most likely not covered by primary insurance. While it is true that some patients in the emergency room do need emergency medical help, most people are seeking care because they feel that this is their only option. It has been proven that low income people have a higher risk of abusing substances like prescription drugs.
Teens Have Easy Access to Prescription Drugs
Of the 2,900 teens that were surveyed, researchers found that a staggering 9.8 percent of them had abused prescription painkillers such as hydrocodone, oxycontin, and methadone. Researchers also discovered that 6.8 percent of these young adults had abused sedatives like Xanax, Valium, or Ativan.
This research study also confirmed that most of these teenagers who had abused prescription drugs did not have a prescription for what they had abused. In fact, the research showed that only 18.5 percent of the teenagers who abused prescription painkillers were ever prescribed the medication. And what’s worse, only 11.5 percent of the teenagers who abused sedatives ever had a prescription.
This study confirms that it is easy for teenagers to find prescription drugs. It became increasingly easy to find these prescription after the year 1996. This was when the FDA approved OxyContin. OxyContin was created by The Sackler Family of Purdue Pharmaceuticals. At this time, doctors began prescribing this drug to more effectively treat their patients with chronic pain. However, now it seems that this drug was overprescribed and is partially responsible for the opioid epidemic.
Teens Who Are at Higher Risk
It is important to note that the study found some teens would visit the emergency room because of their prescription drug abuse. The Addiction Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that prescription drug overdoses have increased dramatically in the last 10 years. Studies have shown that teens who use prescription drugs without a prescription are far more likely to abuse them and other substances. Research has also shown that these teenagers who abuse prescription drugs are more likely to drink and drive and to also allow themselves to be a passenger of a drunk driver.
If a teen gets prescriptions for painkillers and sedatives from the emergency room it makes them even more vulnerable to abuse.
It is true that the chance of addiction is relatively small if these drugs are taken in accordance to doctor’s orders, some people believe doctors are not concerned enough about the potential of their patients to abuse the drugs. Many call for more caution on the part of doctors prescribing addictive medication.
Professional Teenager Rehabs in BC and Alberta
Options Okanagan Drug And Alcohol Treatment Centers in Kelowna, Salmon Arm (Shuswap) and Vancouver, British Columbia – Men and Women are recovering and healing from Alcohol and Drug Abuse at our treatment center here in the Okanagan right now.
Our unique and distinctive drug treatment program allows men and women to come in from Calgary as well as Edmonton as we offer airport pickup.
Numerous clients come to us from Calgary and Edmonton and other locations in Alberta and even other provinces for Opiate addiction treatment, meth drug treatment, many other drug and alcohol addictions for rehabilitation because of the uniqueness of our treatment center.
Our (Kelowna ) Alcohol and Drug Treatment Program Location:
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For Mail Delivery :: Please contact each center for correct mailing addresses, also this location is the location of our residential treatment programs in Kelowna. Please call Toll Free 1-855-335-0331 to contact the treatment center you are going to for the address and directions.
Options Okanagan Drug and Alcohol Treatment Center
551 Sherrydale Crescent, Kelowna, British Columbia, V1V 2E6
Toll Free Phone Number : 1-855-335-0331