.Daily Roundup: White House Says Pills — Not Pot — America’s Biggest Problem

Today’s Must-Read: 1. The White House said today that pills are drawing more new users than pot. Seven of the top ten drugs abused by 12th graders are prescription drugs like OxyContin. They have driven a 400 percent increase in drug treatment over ten years. “The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported recently that prescription and over-the-counter drugs were responsible for the 25% increase in drug-related emergency department visits between 2004 and 2008. … By 2008, emergency department visits for misused prescription and over-the-counter drugs were as common as emergency department visits for use of illicit drugs such as cocaine and heroin. Since 1999 deaths from drug use have more than doubled, surpassing homicides, suicides and gunshot wounds as causes of death. This increase in drug overdose death rates is largely because of prescription opioid painkillers.” Damning.

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