Deaths from Misuse of Prescription Drugs Dramatically Up

January 22nd marked the first anniversary of actor Heath Ledger's death in New York City from an overdose of multiple prescription drugs. According to the World Health Organization, at least 15 million people across the globe suffer from drug use disorders. Experts say in the U.S., the number of unintentional deaths from prescription drug overdose has risen significantly. VOA's Melinda Smith has more on a recent study that looks at the problem in one state.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• overdose
• drug
• use
• ledger
• acute
• intoxication
• oxycodone
• hydrocodone
• OxyContin
• painkiller
• smith
• voa
• news

[skyangel1100]

@PhuckAllYouPeople i agree,and alcohol is socially acceptable,and like i said pain killers are indeed very much a problem,and they with out a doubt should crack down on it,but i promise you if they passed a law,and took all the booze away,where the people that drink it,could never again buy it,we would have a world war 3,because some of the folks who do it love it,but always ready 2 point a finger 2 those who smoke weed,or do pain killers,its so easy 2 see som1 else faults but not thier own.

[bostonred915]

Im sick of hearing people crying about how their loved ones have been killed from abusing perscription drugs. Its not the drug companys fault its the dumbass who ODs on the medication fault. They have warning labels wtf come on

[sherrierubin]

@FiveZylinderRacing - the way the drug is abused can kill you - it has killed many- grinding it up, shooting it up all using it in ways that it was not prescribed. Putting a 12hour time release medication in your body, brain and heart all in 30 sec's - you can die if it is abused.

[cearle28]

I take xanax and somas, given by a dr. I am usually high all day long, and I am able to work, take care of my family, and be happy...Fuck off!

[FiveZylinderRacing]

You guys are all retards. First of all, it's almost impossible to OD on any opiate without combining it with another depressant. 98% of all oxy OD's are from the combined effects of oxy plus another drug or alcohol. I've been on Oxy for two years and I've never had any issues from it other than occasional constipation. The media is just trying to scare people. Don't be so damn gullible.

[1600Percent]

Heath Ledger died from the combined effects of hydro oxy and several other drugs. Depressants usually cause death when mixed with other depressants, because they tend to compliment each other. You'd have to be stupid to mix two CNS depressants. That's natural selection at play, just saying.

[boardingpass04]

@canaan1967 your an idiot if you think these should not be taken by anyone obviosly you have never been in pain yourself to understand why people take these drugs yes they are bad for you but what quality of life is it living in pain everyday? i have final stage copd im waiting for a lung transplant i take the drug 4 times a day if it wasnt for the drug i would have died a long time ago its people that abuse it that are giving it a bad name

[MrJgweber10]

@bostonred915 you are so lame

[Ashliebabyboo1997]

@skyangel1100 you are so right.when i was about six years old,my best friend and her whole family which would be two little sisters,3 big brothers,her mom,her dad,and herself as well were hit head on by a drunk driver and killed.8 people gone due to a drunk driver.yet alcohol is o.k. but weed and pain killers are not o.k.people will read this and say,but...........but........a­lcohol is not as bad as weed,or pain killers,and i say to them GO FUCK YOURSELF.

[PhuckAllYouPeople]

@RodericKohl

Nope, the reality is, a drug has never killed a single person.

Only people can kill themselves with a drug.

You cant blame black market drug suppliers, you can't blame doctors, you cant blame liquor stores, in any way because someone fatally OD'd or became addicted to a drug.

You CHOOSE to use a drug, you CHOOSE to not use drugs in moderation, and the only person to blame for OD's and addictions is the user.

Hold people responsible for there own actions.

[PhuckAllYouPeople]

@skyangel1100

The only reason alcohol is legal, was because it was the most popular drug in the 30's, and we realized prohibition didn't stop people from drinking, it just creates dangerous gangs and cartels to sell alcohol, and we were spending billions keeping people in prison for victimless crimes.

The same could be said about many drugs today, mainly weed.

Anyway, alcohol is just as deleterious and addictive as drugs like opiates and cocaine, its just socially acceptable.