The Problem of Prescription Drug Addiction in Arizona

Prescription drug addiction in Arizona has become one of the most serious issues in the state today. There are no fixed statistics on this kind of usage because it mostly goes on surreptitiously in the homes of the people. At the same time, there are no fixed trends and no data on the kinds of people that are into this kind of addiction.

However, it is assumed that people of two age groups are more vulnerable to this kind of addiction. One group is that of senior persons. They are assumed to be predominantly into prescription drug addiction in Arizona for the simple and obvious fact that they have access to most of these drugs. Since most of the prescription drugs that are available for various geriatric problems in Arizona are also habit-forming, this possibility cannot be refuted. The other group is of the very young people, i.e. of people who are in the age group of 10 to 14 years. Prescription drug addiction is possible here because they can obtain the drugs lying in the house and discover that they can use it for their recreational purposes. Younger people are found to be more into this form of addiction because of their inherent curious and experimental nature.

There is a mentality among drug abusers in Arizona that makes them think that getting hooked to prescription drugs is not as dangerous as using the mainstream street drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine. That is one of the reasons why most people are indiscriminately into this kind of drug abuse. However, people who check in for treatment of prescription drug addiction in Arizona in rehab centers are counseled on how prescription drugs are just as dangerous as the narcotic drugs and how their addictions can prove to be just as fatal. Hence, counseling becomes an important part of the treatment of prescription drug addiction in Arizona.

Let us check out some available trends on prescription drug addiction in Arizona.

1. The highest prevalence of prescription drugs that are used in Arizona falls into three groups. The first group is of the drugs that contain the chemical substance oxycodone. Examples of this drug which is very highly abused in Arizona are OxyContin and Percocet. The second group is of the drugs that contain the chemical substance hydrocodone. Examples of this type of drug are Vicodin and Lortab. The third class is of phentermine addiction. Together, oxycodone, hydrocodone and phentermine form the major bulk of the prevalence of prescription drug addiction in Arizona. Other substances that are very commonly abused in the state are the benzodiazepines such as Xanax, and opiate products such as codeine. Even methadone, which is used for heroin addiction treatment in Arizona, is widely abused, especially when provided in an outpatient treatment format. Tramadol (brand name Ultram), Nubain and Soma in conjunction with other drugs are also very commonly abused in the state.

2. Though there are no concrete figures for overall prescription drug addiction in Arizona, from the number of people that check in for rehab treatment in the state, it has been assumed that at least 50% of all addicted people are into some or the other kind of prescription drug abuse in the state.

3. The region where the prevalence of prescription drug abuse is highest in the state is in the capital city of Phoenix. This is where about half of all addicted people are using some kind of prescription drug on the sly.

4. The most common method of obtaining prescription drugs for recreational drug abuse in Arizona is through doctor shopping. This is where a person will visit a number of doctors for the same ailment, which might be faked, and get multiple prescriptions for it. There are also other criminal methods in which these substances are obtained in the state. These include ordering over the Internet, thieving from chemist stores mostly by involving one of the employees of the store, forging prescriptions, etc.

5. It is also seen that prescription drug addiction in Arizona usually occurs in conjunction with some other kind of addiction, usually smoking or alcoholism. People who are alcoholics, for example, will lose their taste for the alcohol quite soon. After a prolonged addiction with alcohol, the person will not be able to feel as much of a high with the substance as they once used to feel. This is when the person begins to look for other forms of addiction. Prescription drugs can look quite appealing for people who are looking for a higher addiction after getting into a smoking or alcoholism habit.