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Article: Steep rise in abuse of legal drugs; An estimated 9 million people use prescription drugs for nonmedical purposes. One key factor: the Internet.(USA)
- Article from:
- The Christian Science Monitor
- Article date:
- October 1, 2003
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2003 The Christian Science Publishing Society. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: Alexandra Marks Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor
NEW YORK -- Log onto e-mail anytime, and you can find one explanation for the recent dramatic and deadly spike in the abuse of prescription drugs.
"Get ANY D-R-U-G-S You NEED!!" declares a piece of spam that was sent on a recent morning. "OUR U.S. Doctors will Write YOU a Prescription You will get it NEXT-DAY via Fed-Ex!!"
It is simple and anonymous, and has helped lead to what experts are calling a national epidemic of abuse of everything from painkillers to sedatives to stimulants. Between 1995 and 2002, there was a 163 percent increase in the number of emergency-room ...