Prescription Drug Deaths Surpass Cocaine, Heroin Overdoses

Doc-prescribed painkillers just as dangerous

Deaths from prescription drug overdoses have become the nation's fastest growing drug problem. The epidemic is killing almost 15,000 people a year; that's more than triple the amount from a decade ago. It's also causing more deaths than from heroin and cocaine overdoses combined. Experts say many people aren’t taking the pills to get high, but are following a doctor’s orders and prescriptions as in 2010 the amount of painkillers sold was four times greater than in 1999. To help combat the problem, the White House is calling for more education, better monitoring systems and stronger enforcement of regulations covering powerful opiate painkillers. (Today)

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