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Article: Study finds more teens are abusing prescription drugs; Levels surpass illicit drug use.(NATION)
- Article from:
- The Washington Times (Washington, DC)
- Article date:
- July 8, 2005
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2005 The Washington Times LLC. 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: Nathan Burchfiel, THE WASHINGTON TIMES
Prescription drugs intended to ease pain and heal ailments are increasingly being abused by Americans, especially teenagers, according to a report released yesterday by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University.
"Our nation is in the throes of an epidemic," said CASA Chairman Joseph Califano Jr., who called the findings "deeply troubling."
The number of Americans abusing prescription drugs nearly doubled from 7.8 million in 1992 to 15.1 million in 2003, according to the report. Prescription-drug abuse also has become more widespread than abuse of illicit ...