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Prescription Drug Addiction ‘to Overtake Heroin Use’ in UK

  • June 12, 2017

Addictions to both prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications are set to overtake heroin addiction in the U.K., according to the Independent. From valium to codeine to painkillers, more and more drugs are joining the list of substances people are getting addicted to, and then just can’t kick. Some of the problem is due to the fact they are cheap and legal when prescribed. But another concern is that people just aren’t aware of the addictive nature of the drugs.

The United Kingdom is not the only country with a growing addiction problem. You’d almost have to be living in another solar system not to know that in the U.S. drug overdoses are now the ninth leading cause of death, with prescription opioids leading the pack. Addiction affects about 26 percent of those using opioids for chronic non-cancer pain; 1 in 550 patients on opioid therapy dies from opioid-related causes within 2.5 years of their first prescription.

Common drugs involved in prescription opioid overdose deaths include methadone, oxycodone and hydrocodone. Fentanyl, both legal and illicit, and morphine also are on the list. Many believe the drug companies that create and sell these drugs need to be held accountable for America's rapidly escalating drug problem, especially since several have been caught lying about the benefits and risks of their drugs.

Obviously, we need better ways to manage pain. Fortunately, many natural alternatives already exist. Natural remedies include astaxanthin, boswellia, bromelain, cayenne cream, ginger, evening primrose and curcumin, which has been shown in more than 50 clinical studies to have potent anti-inflammatory activity, which can subsequently reduce pain. Medical cannabis is another, vastly underutilized therapeutic option that can reduce pain, nerve stimulation causing seizures, and muscle spasms. It also helps you relax and improves sleep.