SPOKANE, Wash. The Obama administration calls prescription drug abuse the nation’s fastest growing drug problem. The Office of National Drug Control Policy says only marijuana is misused more often than prescription drugs among young people.
The administration this week (4/19) announced a plan to reduce prescription drug abuse. It emphasizes the need for more education for consumers about the benefits and dangers of drugs.
It encourages states to start or improve prescription drug monitoring programs. It urges the prescription drug industry to work with communities to develop safe drug disposal options. And it promises aggressive enforcement of drug laws to stop those who are prescribing drugs for non-medical uses.
WSU College of Nursing researcher John Roll can talk about this issue (though probably not about the specifics of the plan). He has worked for years in the field of drug abuse and addictions, helping people change the behaviors that lead to those addictions. He will be available via cell phone Friday afternoon (4/22).