Medication Abuse

Current Prescription Drug Returns:

You can drop off your unused medications to any local police department.

Abuse and misuse of over the counter and prescription medications has quickly become a major threat to the health and safety of our local communities.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, most people take medicines only for the reasons their doctors prescribe them. But an estimated 20 percent of people in the United States have used prescription drugs for nonmedical reasons. This is prescription drug abuse. It is a serious and growing problem.

Abusing some prescription drugs can lead to addiction. You can develop an addiction to:

• Narcotic painkillers
• Sedatives and tranquilizers
• Stimulants

Experts don’t know exactly why this type of drug abuse is increasing. The availability of drugs is probably one reason. Doctors are prescribing more drugs for more health problems than ever before. Online pharmacies make it easy to get prescription drugs without a prescription, even for youngsters.

Visit the ASAP Coalition’s website for resources to help combat medication abuse in our communities.