Doctors play an important role in our lives. By prescribing the right medicine for a medical condition, they fulfill their responsibility of ensuring health and safety of their patients. However, Johnny Clyde Benjamin, Jr., M.D. – an orthopedic surgeon practicing in Vero Beach, Florida – was recently charged with possession and distribution of controlled substance furanylfentanyl that allegedly caused the death of a young woman.
A Schedule II prescription drug prescribed only by a certified medical practitioner, furanylfentanyl causes the same effects on the central nervous system (CNS) as fentanyl. Many Chinese and other illegal laboratories have been manufacturing furanylfentanyl, which is the tweaked version of fentanyl. Since this highly addictive drug was not listed as a controlled substance until 2016, it is believed that Dr. Benjamin assumed he could play around with the law.
Moreover, with new analogs flooding the market, the laws pertaining to such drugs continue to remain unclear. The above-mentioned arrest is an eye-opening incident for everyone, especially in the wake of ongoing opioid crisis. Besides the above-mentioned drug, a number of life-threatening analogs of fentanyl have emerged in the United States. Therefore, the need of the hour is maintain strict vigilance over prescription drugs.
Prescription drugs are prone to misuse
Prescription drugs are a legal form of medications that are prescribed by medical experts to help an individual deal with a medical condition. Often considered safe, these drugs are being increasingly abused by individuals across the country. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), approximately 54 million Americans (more than 20 percent of those aged 12 and older) have used such medications for nonmedical reasons at least once in their lifetime.
An individual tends to abuse prescriptions drugs due to a range of reasons—including feeling good or getting high, relieving stress or tension, reducing appetite, improving alertness, participating in social circles or enhancing concentration. One of the major reasons behind the increased abuse of prescription drugs is their easy availability.
Lack of dissemination about addictive properties adding to the woes
While the over prescription of such medicines further adds to the woes of the easy availability of prescription drugs, misinformation about their addictive properties is another factor causing an increase in abuse. Some other reasons that increase the vulnerability to prescription drug abuse include the history of addiction to alcohol or some other drugs, genetics, parental drug abuse, any form of pre-existing mental health condition, peer pressure and lack of knowledge.
It is important to make sure that any addiction is diagnosed early to ensure the right treatment. An individual’s addiction to prescription drugs can be diagnosed by identifying the warning signals, such as drowsiness, constipation, agitation, confusion, slurred speech, insomnia, lack of concentration, anxiety, high blood pressure, inability to make right decisions, excessive mood swings, etc. The presence of these symptoms in any form is a clear indication that one is in need of help.
Treatment can help
Prescription drug abuse can lead to dangerous outcomes, such as increased use of illicit drugs, engagement in risky behavior, indulgence in criminal activities, overdose deaths, troubled relationships, etc. Therefore, it is important to seek help at the right time and attain recovery.
Some of the common treatment methods include therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), other behavioral treatments and medication-assisted treatment (MAT). However, one can begin his or her path to recovery only after undergoing a detox process that helps in expunging stored toxins in the body. After successfully completing the first step of addiction treatment, one stands fit for other equally challenging steps.
In case there’s someone you know who is addicted to prescription and illicit drugs and is looking for help from a detox center in Florida, the Florida Detox Helpline can help. Call at our 24/7 helpline 855-920-9869 or chat online with one of our representatives to know about the best Florida detox centers in your vicinity.