Prescription Drug Abuse – Utah

Prescription Drug Abuse Statistics and Utah Info

Prescription drug abuse is the fastest growing addiction in the nation. Carbon county in Utah has the second highest rate of deaths from prescription drug overdose in the nation. 8 other counties in Utah are above the national average for deaths from prescription drug abuse.

From 2008 to 2009, more than 10% of all fatalities were from drug overdose of  pharmaceutical drugs.

Over 6 million people age 12 and older in the last month have reported misusing prescription drugs in the United States.  There has been a 400% increase in prescription drug abuse related to pain relievers in just 10 years from 1998 to 2008. These numbers were recorded by drug treatment center admissions. Unintentional drug overdose involving opioid pain medications tripled from 1999 to 2006.

70% prescription drug abusers got their drugs from friends or relatives. The best way to prevent this problem is properly disposing your prescription drugs and monitoring them closing. Some communities have started drug-take-back programs where anyone with extra prescription drugs can take them to local law enforcement officials or a place approved by the Drug Enforcement Administration. If a take-back program isn’t available, try mixing your unused prescription drugs with something like kitty litter and then throw them in the garbage.

You may have noticed billboards recently advertising the danger of prescription drug abuse in Utah. It’s a growing problem and if everyone is aware of the problem and helps to prevent it, Utah prescription drug abuse problems will be greatly reduced.

Enrollment and info on contacting Steps Recovery Center for Utah Drug Rehab