Not enough attention paid to over-the-counter drugs

Not enough attention paid to over-the-counter drugs

Sunny Hong, Staff Writer

In the past two decades, there has been a vast expansion of over-the-counter medication use in the United States.  Widespread use of over-the-counter medication to treat short-term pains such as colds or headaches have consequences: usage has grown tenfold in just 20 years. A recently published study described alarming effects of over-the-counter drugs. Most saliently, the overdose rate on opioid painkillers such as OxyContin is steadily increasing among middle-aged white Americans. Over-the-counter drugs are the most commonly abused drugs in the U.S. and cause a real and serious problem amongst people of all ages. It is imperative to think twice before putting these chemicals in our bodies.

In the US, a 1000-pill tub of generic painkillers can be bought from a grocery or convenience store with no questions asked. The FDA warned doctors to stop prescribing certain combination drugs, but with the widespread availability of over-the-counter drugs and medical supplements, there is no doubt that they are not regulated enough. Ignorance and lack of concern fuel OTC drug abuse; it is still common for people to think that prescription and OTC drugs are safe. People commonly take more than the maximum recommended dose or even take other people’s prescription to self-medicate. According to a survey conducted by National Institute on Drug Abuse in 2013, 22.6 percent of 18 to 20-year-olds reported using an illicit drug — which included pain relievers, stimulants, tranquilizers and sedatives among others —  in the past month. The same survey illustrated that drug use is increasing among people in their fifties and early sixties. This shows that education about the ill-effects of drug abuse does not affect any one age group. Rather, the government needs to step in and teach people of all ages that OTC drug abuse is a huge problem.

Students mindlessly use Adderall to focus or get high, and over-the-counter drug abuse affects all ages in the United States — a clear cause for alarm. This clearly demonstrates the need for stricter OTC regulations and for nationwide change in drug education. There must be nationwide change in how we educate ourselves on preventing potential overdoses. This should start at the elementary school level. Additionally, there must be stricter regulations on over-the-counter medication.

People are often so focused on the physical traits that are defined as healthy that they forget the little decisions affecting their bodies and minds. Students and adults both should be careful of the medicine they use, how much they take and what they put in their bodies.

Opinions expressed on the editorial pages are not necessarily those of WSN, and our publication of opinions is not an endorsement of them.

A version of this article appeared in the November 9th print edition. Email Sunny Hong at [email protected].