Over-The-Counter Drug Abuse
When most people think of drug abuse they associate it with illegal activities. They believe drug abuse only includes illegal substances and prescription medication. People feel since they are legal and easy to get, over the counter medications (OTC’s) are safe. When used as directed, OTC’s can be very effective and safe. However, excessive over use and abuse of (OTC’s) can be extremely dangerous and sometimes even deadly.
The most oblivious danger of (OTC‘s) is their availability. The availability of OTC’s has made them the number one most abused drug in society today. Behaviors seen in drug abuse may include consumption of a medication for non-medical reasons, consuming dose amounts greater than directed, consuming excessive dosages or more frequently than directed as well as using a medication for longer periods of time than the label recommends.
There are more than 100 million Americans who suffer from some form of chronic pain. With the bad economy and increasing healthcare cost today, so many Americans are using so many OTC medicines trying to save money. However, current use show over $180 billion is spent every year on OTC drugs in the US.
Current trends show the most commonly abused OTC drugs are cough suppressants, cold/allergy medications, caffeine products, and nicotine replacements/smoking control medications. With more prescription drugs being made available in OTC form, the abuse of OTC drugs will only continue to rise.
Experimental OTC drug use is a popular trend seen among teens in society today and because the OTC drug are legal to purchase teens believe it is acceptable behavior However, experimental OTC drug use is riskier than it sounds and creates dangerous situations especially when the drugs are combined with alcohol or other substances. These actions are extremely hazardous and can lead to death quickly.
People in society believe an important part of their family health is OTC drugs....