Point of View

It all began with a call from the pharmacist. She told me that a woman who said she worked for me had just phoned in a refill for a popularly abused substance. There were two problems: (1) No such person worked in my office; and (2) The office was closed for the weekend. A bit of detective work revealed that this woman had contacted other pharmacies, using similar claims in an attempt to illegally obtain addictive medications. She soon found herself facing criminal prosecution. Unfortunately, this story is not uncommon and illustrates the growing problem of prescription drug abuse in the United States.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that in 1999, an estimated four million people aged twelve and older used prescription medication for nonmedical reasons. While anyone is at risk, there are three groups in whom prescription drug misuse in this country is on the rise—the elderly, adolescents and women.

The elderly use three times more medication than the general population and have the poorest record of taking medication as directed. This can easily lead to an inadvertent addiction. A national study reported that the most dramatic increase in new users of prescription drugs for nonmedical purposes is in the 12-25 age group. There also has been an alarming rise in college students abusing oxycodone and hydrocodone. Finally, women should note that they are one and one-half times more likely than men to be prescribed an abusable prescription medication and are twice as likely as men to become addicted to CNS (central nervous system) depressants.

The three most commonly abused classes of prescription drugs are opioids, CNS depressants, and CNS stimulants.

Opioids are pain-relieving drugs often known as narcotics, which are safe and effective if used appropriately. Their misuse, however, can result in drug tolerance, physical dependence, and addiction.

CNS depressants are typically prescribed to treat incapacitating anxiety and sleep disorders. The abuse of these drugs leads to tolerance, physical dependence, and withdrawal complications (if the medication is reduced or stopped abruptly).

CNS stimulants are used for the treatment of narcolepsy (daytime sleepiness) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The improper use of these medications often leads to addictive/compulsive drug-seeking behavior, hostility, and paranoia as well as severely high blood pressure and seizures.

Some of these medications should not be mixed with alcohol, cold and allergy medicine, or other prescription medications. Of course, any prescription medication should be used only at the advice of a physician fully aware of the patient’s physical and emotional health.

God has given us medication—just as He has the rest of creation—for its wise and proper use. While medication can be a great blessing if used appropriately for the treatment of physical or emotional illness, its improper use can be a curse. It is the role of the Christian steward to realize when these drugs should be used and when they should be avoided.

If you suspect that you or a loved one is abusing prescription medication—knowingly or unknowingly—you should by all means seek the advice of a physician that you trust. Remember that God often uses human hands (physicians, counselors, and medication) to bring about His healing on this earth.

Don W. Buckley, M.D., is the medical director of Spanish Trail Family Physicians in Pensacola. For more information about this issue or related materials, call the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission at 800-475-9127 or visit www.faithandfamily.com.