The use of prescription drugs in any manner other than that ordered by a physician is deemed as prescription drug abuse. In this paper, I will explore recent statistics in prescription drug abuse, the misconceptions behind prescription drug abuse, and the most commonly abused prescription drugs. I will also discuss various methods that are used to obtain excessive amounts of prescription drugs and the precautions used by those in the medical profession to control prescription drug abuse. In closing, I will focus on the government's effort to control prescription drug abuse through the tracking of prescriptions and the imposition of tougher penalties on those who violate the law.
In 1999, an estimated 9 million people were using prescription drugs for uses other than prescribed by their physicians. Of those who admitted to using prescription drugs in an abusive manner, over a quarter of the 9 million had just begun to do so in the previous year. Listed among the abused prescription drugs recognized in 1999 surveys are: pain relievers, sedatives, tranquilizers, and stimulants. …
