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Prevent Misuse

Substance use disorder does not discriminate. It affects people of all ages, races, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that it cannot happen to you or your loved ones.

In 2023, 8.6 million people misused prescription pain relievers, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Some substances, including painkillers, tranquilizers, stimulants, and sedatives have a higher chance of causing physical dependence and addiction, where the person may seek the drug out despite harmful consequences. 

Recognizing the Signs

One of the keys to prevention is recognizing the signs of potential substance use disorder. If you can catch the signs before it begins, you may be able to prevent some of its negative effects. Signs of substance use disorder include: 

Stimulant misuse can have additional side effects such as reduced appetite, an agitated or excitable appearance, and trouble sleeping. 

Identifying Opioid Misuse

Opioids are a category of drugs that include strong prescription pain relivers, like oxycodone or hydrocodone, as well as illegal substances such as heroin and fentanyl. These substances are highly addictive and are the most frequently misused drug when taken outside of their intended purpose.  

Repeated use of opioids rapidly leads to tolerance — which causes the person to need to use more and more to get the same effect — and withdrawal — where the person needs the drug to feel “normal” and not physically sick.  

The dangers of harmful opioid use are great, including overdose and death. From April 2020 to April 2021, in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, provisional data reports over 100,000 people died from a drug overdose in the United States, and more than 75% of those deaths involved opioids, according to CDC. The pandemic accelerated the fatal misuse of opioids, where the US saw an 18% increase in deaths by overdose in 2020. 

In 2017, President Trump declared the opioid crisis a public health emergency, reinforcing the fact that addiction is a medical issue that impacts the entire nation. The Biden administration furthered these efforts of awareness and prevention by increasing access to opioid overdose rescue prescriptions.

Recognizing signs and equipping yourself to take action can save lives, as 40% of overdoses occur when someone else is present.

Signs of Opioid Misuse or Dependence:

Nausea

Poor Coordination and Confusion

Extreme Drowsiness
(“Nodding Out”)

Administering Rescue Drugs

Naloxone is a life-saving medication that can counteract the effects of an overdose from opioids, including heroin, fentanyl, and prescription opioids. Naloxone is easy to administer via nasal spray or injection, and can be purchased with or without a prescription. Naloxone will not harm someone if they are overdosing on drugs other than opioids or if they are not overdosing at all.

Where to Find Naloxone

Naloxone is now available over-the-counter in all states and may be purchased at pharmacies and grocery stores. You may be able to find naloxone free of charge at:

  • State public health offices 
  • Public libraries 
  • Community-based programs 
  • Non-profit organizations 

Some states offer online programs that send free naloxone by mail to any resident who signs up. Look up programs that offer free naloxone in your area to be prepared in case of an emergency. NEXT Distro offers an easy-to-use map to find naloxone resources by state.

Methods to Help with Opioid Use Disorder

If you or someone you know is suffering from opioid use disorder: 

  • Talk to your doctor about co-prescribing naloxone along with the prescription opioid. 
  • Ask your pharmacist if a prescription is required to purchase naloxone. 
  • Learn how to administer naloxone in case of an emergency.   
  • Store the medication safely at home away from children but easily accessible in case of a crisis.

Ways to Prevent Misuse and Overdose

Preventing harmful prescription use in part involves physicians making judicious and informed decisions when prescribing opioids or other drugs that may cause dependence. Other things to keep in mind:

  • Make sure you keep all medication in the home secured and dispose of old prescriptions properly.
  • Your prescribers and pharmacists have access to Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs to help them identify patients who are visiting multiple pharmacies for medications and to prevent drug diversion. This tool may help health care professionals recognize signs of substance use disorder more quickly and can potentially aid in the conversation about getting treatment.

Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) combines behavioral counseling and certain prescription medications to treat people suffering from opioid use disorder. Former NABP President Timothy D. Fensky, RPh, DPh, FACA explains how pharmacists can help expand access to this life-saving therapy.

Avoiding Illicit Drug Sales Online and on Social Media

Illegal online pharmacies are a major risk to today’s patients. For decades, criminal networks have sold unsafe drugs to patients online, and their methods have adapted to utilize social media. Medications sold by illegal online pharmacies may have no active ingredient, have a different active ingredient than advertised, or be poisonous. Learn more about how to safely buy medication online and signs to spot an illegal online pharmacy.

Signs of Illegal Online Pharmacies

  • A prescription is not required to purchase medication. 
  • Fake “FDA Approved” watermarks are shown to target customers in the US, even for medications that are not FDA-approved. 
  • “Lifestyle” drugs such as erectile dysfunction medication, hair loss treatments, and trending drugs are prominently featured. 
  • “Bonus pills” or additional “free” pills are included with purchase. 

Illegal Pharmacies on Social Media

Along with creating thousands of domain names to avoid the removal of their websites by authorities, criminal organizations will create many social media accounts on different platforms to advertise and sell illegal, unsafe drugs. Teens and young adults are often the victims of these sales.

A drug dealer posts on their public social profile that buyers can direct message them to access their menu on a private account.

Once on the private account, the drug dealer asks the customer for “verification.” This might entail providing a photo or video to prove the buyer is not law enforcement.

After verification is exchanged, the drug dealer shares the menu link, which is usually on another platform.

Payment method is shared.

Transaction is finalized.

Share with friends, family, and young people in your life to never purchase drugs on social media, as they could lead to adverse effects, and even death.

How to Get Help

In Case of Emergency: Call 911 or Poison Control at 800/222-1222