Prescription Drugs / Generation RX Essay

Prescription Drugs / Generation RX Essay

Prescriptions are everywhere, and even adult prescriptions are easily accessed by youth abusing the wide variety of drugs. The 2003 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) found four percent of America’s youth “ages 12 to 17 reported nonmedical use of prescription medications in the past month,” (National Institute on Drug Abuse 1). Children given medications at a young age also have a greater chance of developing later addictions. The same NSDUH survey found that the “Rates of abuse were highest among the 18-25 age group,” at around six percent. What we do to our children affects them throughout the rest of their lives. Force feeding them into prescription addiction can potentially provide a horrible fight with addiction for a lifetime. Prescription Drugs / Generation RX Essay.

Addiction is a difficult battle to face, and a road which many are actually placed on through over-medication. It is a disease which “involves the repeated and excessive use of chemical substances to achieve a certain effect,” (Belmonte 1). After being medicated for an entire childhood, it creates an addiction to the medication which then transfers on into adulthood.

Thus, adults who had been over-medicated turn to further medications or illicit abuse of prescriptions. Along wit causing damage to relationships and professional endeavors, addiction may also cause withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms “depending on the drug, can include shakes, chills, severe aches and pains, difficulty sleeping, agitation, depression, and even hallucinogens or psychosis,” (Belmonte 1). It is a difficult fate for many who initially had no say in the cause o their addiction.

ORDER A PLAGIARISM -FREE PAPER NOW

Understanding over-medication as a root cause in problems later in life may help parents decide to go against trying out the latest trend in prescription medications for their children’s ailments. It is important to represent the concept that prescriptions are not always for everyone, and not the magic in a bottle that many prescription drug companies amp them up to be. We, as a society must remember the dangers of over-medication. It is a mistake which our children will surely pay for in the future……

West Virginia has one of the highest rates for prescription drug abuse, and overdose in the nation. In order to change this it is important to understand what pharmacists do, their role in prevention, and the severity of prescription drug abuse. Pharmacists are known to dispense prescription drugs to patients and inform them about their use; However, one aspect of their career most people overlook is that Pharmacists must keep a sharp eye out for criminals looking to abuse these prescribed drugs.Prescription Drugs / Generation RX Essay.
First, here is some important background information about Pharmacists. A Pharmacist is someone who is trained and licensed to distribute medicinal drugs and to advise on their use. According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook Pharmacists do all of the following: “Fill prescriptions, verify proper amounts of medication to give to patients, check whether the prescription will interact negatively with other drugs that a patient is taking or conditions the patient has, instruct patients on how to and when to take a prescribed medicine, Advise patients on potential side effects they may experience from taking the medicine, Advise patients about general health topics, such as diet, exercise, managing stress, and on other issues, such as what equipment or supplies would be best for a health problem, Keep records and do other administrative tasks, Complete insurance forms and work with insurance companies to be sure that patients get the medicine they need, Teach other healthcare practitioners about proper medication therapies for patients, and lastly oversee the work of pharmacy technicians and pharmacists training.”() Some pharmacists participate in compounding, where they create medications by mixing ingredients themselves. Prescription Drugs / Generation RX Essay. Pharmacists tha…
..s completely in the patients hands to do the right thing.

Works Cited

Eyre, Eric. “Pharmacists Struggle to Stop Sales of Drug Used to Make Meth.” Charleston Gazette (2013): n.pag. Ebsco. Web. 2 Dec 2013 .

Hagen, Philip. Guide to Self Care: Everyday Health Problems. 3rd ed. Rochester, Jacksonville, Scottsdale: Mayo Clinic, 2010. 20-45. Print.

“Pharmacists.” Occupational Outlook Handbook. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. Web. 8 Dec 2013 .

“Pharmacists.” Webster’s Dictionary . United States of America: KAPPA, 2003. Print.

“Topics in Brief: Prescription Drug Abuse.” National Institute of Drug Abuse, 6 Dec 2011. Web. 8 Dec 2013 . Prescription Drugs / Generation RX Essay.