1.PrescriptionMedication:Get Informed!
By: David A. Steidl

2. What do these celebs have in common?
3. Prescription Drug Abuse
Although many prescription drugs are used to reduce symptoms they can easily be abused.
Addictionis not prejudiced it can affect anyone.
We only hear about famous people that have suffered its wrath.
Besides being great actors and actresses, did anybody notice anything else about the last slide?
4. What do these celebs have in common?
5. Facts:
The CDC reported that from 1999 to 2004, unintentional poisoning deaths from prescription drugs grew 84% to 20,950 deaths.(Akre14)
Deaths from prescription drugs have overtaken cocaine and heroin combined.(Akre15)
In the past year, abuse of prescription pain killers now ranks second, only behind marijuana, as the nations most prevalent illegal drug problem.(Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention1)
6. How Addiction Happens:
Many prescription drugs create mental and physical dependence.
As millions of people do every day, Deborah, a fifty year old stay at home mom was prescribed pain killers for her rheumatoid arthritis.
After ten years she relied on
her pills to make it through
the day. I wasnt trying to
abuse it, Deborah said. She is
now recovering from her
addiction.
7. They Must Be Safe!!
8. Doctor Shopping?

What is doctor shopping?

9. According to the DEA this often occurs when the amount of pills one doctor prescribes is not enough. 10. This type of behavior also leads to other illegal activities such as forging prescriptions.(Prescription Drug Abuse 2) 11. Both Doctor Shopping and Prescription Forgery are punishable by law usually including jail time.