WASHINGTON (AP) — Retail sales of five leading painkillers nearly doubled from 1997 to 2005, reflecting a surge in use by patients nationwide who are living in a world of pain, according to a new Associated Press analysis of federal drug prescription data.

Source: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/W/WORLD_OF_PAIN

Who knows the true cause of this increase, but my guess would have to be that aging Baby Boomers are finding themselves increasingly confronted with the injuries, pain, and arthritis that comes as a natural part of growing older. Then again, perhaps I’m being a bit optimistic about the honesty and integrity of the citizens, physicians, and pharmacists in various parts of the country.

The article mentions that a great deal of the use of these pain relievers occurs in the Appalachian region, where they are often abused and treated as a recreational drug. I’m going to have to take their word for it, seeing as how I’ve never even been to Appalachia, but I still think it’s a sad reality. In the world we live in, and with the regulations facing so many prescription medications, there is simply no excuse for such widespread abuse.

On the bright side, I would have to assume that the people abusing pain relievers are probably not the same people abusing far more illegal drugs and, to be certain, are not the ones supporting Mexican and South American drug smugglers and cartels. I guess that’s a good thing, despite how strange it may sound.

When it comes down to it, though, I’m not sure that further crackdowns on legal medications is the right way to go. In Oregon, and I believe in many parts of the country, one is now required to have a prescription for products containing pseudoephedrine. Sure, it’s decreased the level of methamphetamine production in the state, but it’s also caused headaches for people with colds or the flu and done nothing to stop the smuggling of drugs (and people, for that matter) into this country.

Call me crazy, but how about we work on locking down the borders and stopping smuggling before we go after people who are simply abusing a prescription. Oh, I forgot, securing the border is too risky of a political move with an election a little over a year away. Aren’t politicians great…