Prescription Drugs

There are several thousands of various modern drugs which are being continuously developed so as to efficiently ease symptoms and save lives. But before any of these can be sold in the market, and later on utilized by the public, they first have to undergo different tests and should earn approval for specific uses. A lot of these drugs, strong pain relievers for example, can only be obtained when a licensed doctor prescribes them.

Prescription drugs are licensed medicines which are legislation-regulated, necessitating a licensed doctor’s prescription before they can be purchased. The term “prescription drugs” is used as a direct opposite of “over the counter drugs”, the latter of which can be bought in the absence of a prescription.

Generally, the use of “over the counter drugs” without a doctor’s recommendation is considered acceptable. This means that such drugs have complied with high standards of safety for use on patients who are self-medicating. Most of the time, drugs with lower dosages are readily available as “over the counter” use. However, those with higher dosages would have to require prescriptions from licensed doctors.

Prescription drugs are also referred to in the United States as “Rx only drugs”, or sometimes “legend drugs”. In the United Kingdom, these are known as POM – short for “prescription only medicine”.

When prescription drugs or prescription medications are taken appropriately -- that is, under the supervision of a licensed doctor – it can offer tremendous benefits to the patient. However, in reality, there are people who are taking these drugs beyond what the doctor prescribed and their intended use. Thus, when people get so dependent on these drugs, they cease to do their actual purpose.

A more alarming fact is that teens are some of those who are guilty of abusing “over the counter” and prescription drugs. Studies reveal that teens are detaching themselves from the common street drugs, as well as the stigma that comes with them. They now turn to the prescription drugs in the hope of getting the same kind of high.

Most of the people who abused these drugs may be led to believe that both “over the counter” and prescription drugs are safer than street drugs. But in truth, when taken inappropriately, these can be as addictive and deadly as any of the street drugs.

The abuse of prescription drugs is a major concern of the society nowadays because it can be fatal. Painkillers, sedatives, and tranquilizers are the most widely-abused medical drugs. People who want to get “high” usually fake certain symptoms in order to obtain a prescription. They then mix the pills with alcohol, and takes in more than the dosage recommended by the doctor. These people may achieve the “high” feeling, but they will likely induce grave health issues as well, such as cardiac arrest, seizures, and addiction.

Teens are currently into the latest trend in partying called “pharming”. This means engaging in “over the counter” or prescription drug trading, and ingesting such drugs with other pills and alcohol to get “high” during parties. The scary part of this is, teens are not simply ingesting one or two pills at a time, but rather, they are taking in handfuls. They may not have realized it or may simply be ignoring the fact that the overdose from medical drugs is responsible for a quarter of all drug-related cases in the United States.

Prescription drugs, as well as the “over the counter” medications have been formulated and developed to help people deal with their health problems. Unfortunately, these have been used to work against that goal. But as it is, being healthy, and staying healthy is a matter of personal choice.