On Jan 5th Minnesota officials weighed in on the fight against prescription drug addiction by launching a statewide database that will track the sale and distribution of powerful pain killer drugs like Oxycontin and Vicodin and other drugs with high potential for addiction. Doctors, Dentist and pharmacists can employ the Minnesota Prescription Monitoring database in helping uncover habitual recipient’s addictive drugs. 

Prescription drug addiction can begin innocently enough with a quick trip to the doctor for some common problem. This doctor’s visit could quite possibly result in a powerful pain relieving drug being prescribed. This being the primary reason prescription drug addiction is on the rise and many states are taking measure’s to regulate how pharmacies are dispensing and tracking these powerfully addictive drugs.

Need for prescription addiction treatment already rising

The National Institute of Drug Abuse 2009 Monitoring The Future survey results are out and reports ten percent of the nations high school seniors have used Vicodin, a highly addictive opiod painkiller for non medicinal reasons, and 1 in 20 reported abusing Oxycontin, also a powerful opioid prescription painkiller. Non-medical use of these prescribed painkillers has also increased among 10th graders in the past five years. Prescription drug addiction has now surpassed addiction to cocaine and heroin combined.