4

CHAPTER

61

Substance Abuse

Substance abuse is probably one of the most publicized aspects of pharma-

cology—and the least understood by patients. Patients who are in pain fre-

quently avoid taking medication because they are fearful of becoming addicted

to the drug. Rarely do patients become addicted. However, should a dependency

develop, the medication is gradually reduced until the dependency subsides.

Patients—and healthcare professionals—can become dependent on medication.

This chapter explores drugs that are commonly abused and discusses how to

detect substance abuse.

Drug Misuse and Abuse

Substance abuse affects all socioeconomic groups and has become a major med-

ical, social, economic, and interpersonal challenge for society. According to the

Centers for Disease Control, one in 68 people in the United States is a substance

abuser and 19.5 million people over the age of 12 use illegal drugs resulting in

19,000 deaths per year.

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