More Deaths from Pharmaceutical Painkillers than Cocaine and Heroin Combined
Anthony Gucciardi
NaturalSociety
November 2, 2011
More Americans died in 2008 from pharmaceutical painkiller overdose than fatalities from illegal drugs like cocaine and heroin combined. Responsible for nearly 15,000 deaths in 2008, prescription painkillers have become wildly popular among Americans. The news comes after a previous report found drugs to outnumber traffic accidents in fatalities. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) statistics, as of last year more than 12 million were on prescription painkillers purely for the high they cause instead of their intended medical purpose.
Many of these individuals obtain the drugs by eliciting prescriptions from several doctors, known as ‘doctor shopping’ within the community. Others purchase them from underground drug rings and illegal online pharmacies, bringing the ingredients into question. It is no wonder that the amount of painkillers made available at pharmacies and even doctors’ offices has quadrupled from 1999 to 2010. In fact, the CDC has blamed irresponsible doctors for unnecessarily prescribing painkillers to patients who do not need them:
“More of a problem is now created by a few irresponsible doctors than drug pushers on street corners,” CDC Director Dr. Thomas Frieden told reporters in a phone briefing.
The issue is very similar to the current problems surrounding antipsychotic drugs. With 50% of all Americans to be diagnosed with a mental illness in their lifetime, antipsychotic drugs have become the most popular therapeutic class drug. Even as experts speak out against antipsychotics in a similar manner to how many are raising awareness against prescription pain medication, it seems that the medical establishment has ignored the evidence.
“The system is awash with opioids, drugs that get people hooked and keep them hooked,” Frieden said.
In 27 years, there have been 3 million deaths from prescription drugs, and 0 from vitamins. Prescription drugs come with up to 525 negative side effects, with around 70 being the average. Avoiding these drugs and utilizing high quality organic alternatives like whole food-based multivitamins and green superfoods will lead to a total health transformation without harsh side effects and an exponentially increased death risk.
Explore More:
- 27 Years | No Deaths from Vitamins, 3 Million from Prescription Drugs
- Pharmaceutical Drug Poisoning in Children is Rising
- Drug Labels Contain 70 Negative Side Effects on Average
- Prescription Painkiller Deaths on the Rise
- Pharmaceutical Company Raises Drug Price from $10 to $1,500 Per Dose
- Many Consumers Unaware of What’s in Over-the-Counter Painkillers
Comments (33)
Trackback URL | Comments RSS Feed
Sites Linking to this Article
- Are the Benefits of Medical Marijuana Being Completely Overlooked? | The Illuminati - The Illuminati Official Website | May 12, 2012
- Are the Benefits of Medical Marijuana Being Completely Overlooked? | Truth Is Scary | May 10, 2012
- Are the Benefits of Medical Marijuana Being Completely Overlooked? | Conscious Life News | May 5, 2012
- The Benefits of Medical Marijuana - Are they being overlooked? | May 2, 2012
- Are the Benefits of Medical Marijuana Being Completely Overlooked? | April 30, 2012
- Are the Benefits of Medical Marijuana Being Completely Overlooked? - Waking Times : Waking Times | April 30, 2012
- Plant from Amazon Serves as Natural Painkiller Alternative | Survive Change | March 19, 2012
- Plant from Amazon Serves as Natural Painkiller Alternative | Natural Society | March 15, 2012
- Infographic | Eastern vs. Western Medicine | TruthTheory | February 19, 2012
- Infographic: Eastern vs. Western Medicine | Waking Times | February 19, 2012
- Infographic | Eastern vs. Western Medicine | Natural Society | February 17, 2012
- Cannabis Treatment Threatens Deadly Painkiller Industry | TruthTheory | WorldWright's … | February 7, 2012
- The Answer to America’s Drug Problem | American Expat in Chiang Mai | January 22, 2012
- The Answer to America’s Drug Problem | American Expat in Chiang Mai | January 22, 2012
- Is Marijuana Good For You? - Page 2 - Grasscity.com Forums | January 13, 2012
- Cannabis Treatment Threatens Deadly Painkiller Industry « | January 12, 2012
- Cannabis Treatment Threatens Deadly Painkiller Industry « Free Speech Zone | January 11, 2012
- Cannabis Treatment Threatens Deadly Painkiller Industry – WNYTruthers.org | January 11, 2012
- Cannabis Treatment Threatens Deadly Painkiller Industry | War On You: Breaking Alternative News | January 11, 2012
- Cannabis Treatment Threatens Deadly Painkiller Industry | Protect Our Freedoms.org | January 11, 2012
- Cannabis Treatment Threatens Deadly Painkiller Industry « Stop Making Sense | January 11, 2012
- Cannabis Treatment Threatens Deadly Painkiller Industry | January 11, 2012
- Cannabis Treatment Threatens Deadly Painkiller Industry « Investment Watch Blog – 2012 | January 11, 2012
- Cannabis Treatment Threatens Deadly Painkiller Industry | Truth Is Scary | January 10, 2012
- Cannabis Treatment Threatens Deadly Painkiller Industry | Natural Society | January 10, 2012
- Cannabis Treatment Threatens Deadly Painkiller Industry | TruthTheory | January 9, 2012
- Cannabis Treatment Threatens Deadly Painkiller Industry | TaJnB | TheAverageJoeNewsBlogg | January 9, 2012
- Too Much Low Dose Tylenol Deadlier than Massive Overdose | Natural Society | November 29, 2011
- Too Much Low Dose Tylenol Deadlier than Massive Overdose | TaJnB | TheAverageJoeNewsBlogg | November 26, 2011
- Too Much Low Dose Tylenol Deadlier than Massive Overdose | Victors Post | November 26, 2011
As a law abiding adult, who lives with chronic severe pain, I resent the statements of CDC Director Dr. Thomas Frieden, that,“More of a problem is now created by a few irresponsible doctors than drug pushers on street corners,” . Yes, I am well aware of the dangers of long term opiate use, however, it is, and should remain, a decision that is between my doctor and myself. In my case, and many others I would imagine, the benefits outweigh the downside. These drugs should not be rationed out solely to dying cancer patients. They must remain an available option for those of us who suffer from agonizing conditions that we have no choice but to live with on a daily basis. People in pain do not need bureaucratic government agencies like The CDC making treatment decisions for them in this country. M.D.’s are qualified, and allowed, to make these decisions on a case by case basis, and I certainly hope it stays that way. Pain medicine should not only be reserved for the dying. A person who is is LIVING with severe chronic pain needs to have access to this medication without being branded a “drug seeker”, or an addict. Doctors nowadays are extremely hesitant to prescribe opiates because of the abundance of bad press like this. Sure, there are, as stated in the article,”a few irresponsible doctors”, but why on Earth should this be cause to punish every doctor and patient who has responsibly, and legally, used these drugs for the purpose that they are intended? Is this nothing more than a case of one or two bad apples spoiling the entire bunch, or in this case, population? This is extremely troubling to me, as a person who has suffered from an incurable neurological disease that is indescribably excruciating. If I were denied access to the pain medication that I am prescribed, I would wish that I were one of the dying patients.
I would say its not “one or two” bad apples, it’s a truckload of bad apples, and unfortunate and tragically suffering chronic pain sufferers are not the focus of the article. Its about the kids who get it in school, irresponsible docs who give it to patients for a sore tennis elbow etc, and the addicts who sell their methadone for pills, but even more its the underlying pathetic state of modern man, who needs something artificial to feel good about life itself. The article isn’t about chronic pain issues or sufferers. Hope you find some relief to your condition down the road.
Share this with the AMA and see what they say.