How the Internet Fuels Prescription Drug Abuse
In the past decade, anyone with an e-mail account has most likely received spam e-mail that advertises the sale of prescription drugs. Millions of these e-mails are sent out each year from pharmacies that are typically located outside of the United States. These rogue pharmacies are not under the jurisdiction of U.S. laws and freely dispense potentially dangerous drugs like Percocet and Oxycontin that normally require a doctor’s prescription.
A recently completed 7-year study conducted by the University of Southern California and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) has revealed a correlation between Internet access and prescription drug abuse. States with the highest growth in high speed internet access also saw the greatest increase in treatment admissions for prescription drug abuse.
According to Dana Goldman, a public health expert at the University of Southern California, the findings suggest that widespread use of …