In recent years, there has been an apparent increase in the number of young adults in Arkansas and elsewhere who suffer from chronic pain. You or someone you know might be struggling with neck or back pain from an athletic injury. Or perhaps you are one of many who suffer from frequent migraines. Across the nation, doctors’ offices are full of patients requesting help for pain relief, many of them under age 25.
In fact, there have been several physicians who have gotten into trouble after patients for whom they’d written prescriptions suffered overdoses and died. When it comes to prescription medication, there are many types of drugs that patients cannot take simultaneously due to adverse effects that their interactions may cause. This is one of the reasons there are strict laws regarding prescription drug use and distribution.
Useful and dangerous at the same time
Doctors often prescribe medication to relieve severe chronic pain, alleviate anxiety, help with insomnia and many other issues. The problem is that many such drugs are highly addictive and associated with other negative issues as well, particularly among younger people. Below, are some of the most common problems associated with teens who use prescription drugs:
- Many young girls fall into the habit of using prescription drugs to lose weight. Not only do they often suffer side effects, they can become highly addicted to their weight loss pills.
- Some teens get talked into taking pills by fellow students who claim doing so has helped them focus better on school work and maintain high levels of energy. Mixing such drugs with alcohol can be deadly.
- It’s not uncommon for people to share their prescriptions with others, even though this is against the law. Some think nothing of giving a friend a pill to help with back pain, a bad headache or menstrual cramps.
Not only can illicit use of prescription drugs result in injury, illness or death, it often leads to serious trouble with the law. In addition to marijuana, people are often charged with crimes associated with possession or distribution of opioids, depressants and stimulants. If you are currently facing similar challenges, you’re obviously hoping to avoid conviction.
Whether someone gave you pills to help you get through final exams or you’ve been accused of a prescription drug-related crime, the courts presumed you are innocent unless proved otherwise. One negative situation need not necessarily destroy your entire future. To minimize negative consequences as much as possible, you can request help from an attorney who has successfully defended others in similar situations.