(NaturalNews) Abuse of prescription painkillers in the United States increased 400 percent between 1998 and 2008, according to a study conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

"The non-medical use of prescription pain relievers is now the second most prevalent form of illicit drug use in the nation, and its tragic consequences are seen in substance abuse treatment centers and hospital emergency departments throughout our nation" SAMHSA administrator Pamela S. Hyde said. "This public health threat demands that we follow the president's ... call for an all-out effort to raise awareness of this risk and the critical importance of properly using, storing, and disposing of these powerful drugs."

 

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