How do prescription drug abusers access medications?

Almost all prescription drugs involved in overdoses come from prescriptions originally; very few come from pharmacy theft. However, once they are prescribed and dispensed, prescription drugs are frequently diverted to people using them without prescriptions. More than three out of four people who misuse prescription painkillers use drugs prescribed to someone else. In addition, some people who abuse prescription drugs obtain large quantities of medication by getting prescriptions from multiple prescribers and pharmacies – a practice known as “doctor shopping.” Many states also report problems with "pill mills" where doctors prescribe large quantities of painkillers to people who don’t need them medically. Most prescription painkillers are prescribed by primary care and internal medicine doctors and dentists, not specialists.

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