3 ms·

What is the predominant mechanism of becoming addicted then?

cm2012 8y ago
"Far greater risk comes from simply being young and from using alcohol and other recreational drugs heavily. Ninety percent of all drug addictions start in the teens — and 75 percent of prescription opioid misuse begins when (mainly young) people get pills from friends, family or dealers — not doctors. Opioids are rarely the first drug people misuse."
- simonbarker87 8y ago
  You could still draw a link: high prescription rates of opioid pain killers normalises the use of them and as such someone is more likely to be offered them by family and friends for something minor. Also, is “throughly” debunked really the case? That makes it sound like there can be no link at all, but higher levels of these in society legally could lead to an increase in abuse. On complex topics like this it is rarely possible to talk in absolutes.
  - cm2012 8y ago
    What's debunked is the very common narrative in this thread that poor Uncle Billy went to the doctor with a bad back and came back a rabid addict. Non addicts becoming addicts from regular prescriptions is very rare according to all studies. There is definitely a big complex drug ecosystem otherwise, though.
    - deleted 8y ago
      [deleted]
- cma 8y ago
  All that tells is that there is a layer a indirection. The friends, family, and dealers to some degree get pills from people that got them from doctors. Some may come from overseas, theft, etc., but if 25% are hooked directly from having been prescribed them, I would guess a big portion of the 75% is people within a few hops away. Often what happens is that the 25% that got hooked from being prescribed start buying additional pills. Eventually they can't afford that and they switch to cheaper heroin, often funded by selling their prescription pills.
- srj 8y ago
  I followed these links last night and didn't find much support for that statement. If you're going to quote something, how about the paper?

cm2012 8y ago

"Far greater risk comes from simply being young and from using alcohol and other recreational drugs heavily. Ninety percent of all drug addictions start in the teens — and 75 percent of prescription opioid misuse begins when (mainly young) people get pills from friends, family or dealers — not doctors. Opioids are rarely the first drug people misuse."

simonbarker87 8y ago
You could still draw a link: high prescription rates of opioid pain killers normalises the use of them and as such someone is more likely to be offered them by family and friends for something minor. Also, is “throughly” debunked really the case? That makes it sound like there can be no link at all, but higher levels of these in society legally could lead to an increase in abuse. On complex topics like this it is rarely possible to talk in absolutes.
- cm2012 8y ago
  What's debunked is the very common narrative in this thread that poor Uncle Billy went to the doctor with a bad back and came back a rabid addict. Non addicts becoming addicts from regular prescriptions is very rare according to all studies. There is definitely a big complex drug ecosystem otherwise, though.
  - deleted 8y ago
    [deleted]
cma 8y ago
All that tells is that there is a layer a indirection. The friends, family, and dealers to some degree get pills from people that got them from doctors. Some may come from overseas, theft, etc., but if 25% are hooked directly from having been prescribed them, I would guess a big portion of the 75% is people within a few hops away. Often what happens is that the 25% that got hooked from being prescribed start buying additional pills. Eventually they can't afford that and they switch to cheaper heroin, often funded by selling their prescription pills.
srj 8y ago
I followed these links last night and didn't find much support for that statement. If you're going to quote something, how about the paper?