A survey conducted by the Journal of Child & Adolescent Substance Abuse found that high school athletes are some of the most at-risk for getting addicted to prescription pain medication. It starts innocently enough – a student athlete sustains an injury and is prescribed some form of pain medication, such as hydrocodone or OxyContin, to […]
National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day
It’s that time of year again – National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day. On April 29, Tennesseans will have the opportunity to dispose of their unused and expired prescription drug medications at one of the more than 100 events happening across the state. National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day is part of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s National […]
Faces of Addiction: Judy, Part II
Lydia’s search to fill an emotional void began early in her childhood. At first, she channeled her desires through food, which led to a significant weight gain. When that failed, she turned to the one thing she thought could fill that void – prescription drugs. Once her mother, Judy, discovered her daughter’s addiction, she began […]
There are more opioid prescriptions than people in Tennessee
Health care professionals in Tennessee last year wrote more than 7.8 million opioid prescriptions — or 1.18 for every man, woman and child — even as the state grapples with a scourge of painkiller addiction and abuse. The total places Tennessee second in the nation, behind only Alabama in prescriptions of the drugs, according to IMS Health data. Even though the […]
Count It! Don’t Be An Accidental Drug Dealer
Prescription drug misuse and addiction is a growing epidemic in the U.S., particularly in Tennessee. In 2014, Tennessee ranked fourth in the nation for overdose deaths, according to the CDC. Are your prescription drugs secure? Here are a few questions to answer: Do you have prescription pain medications in your home? Do you have children/teenagers […]
