Estimated read time: Less than a minute
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
CHICAGO (AP) — A new study says most people who abuse addictive prescription painkillers get them for free from friends or relatives.
It also says drug dealers are a relatively uncommon source for those at highest risk for deadly overdoses.
People who abuse the most frequently often doctor-shop; more than 1 in 4 who used these drugs almost daily said they had been prescribed by one or more physicians. Almost as many said they got them for free from friends or relatives; only 15 percent said they bought the drugs from dealers or other strangers.
The study is from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention researchers who analyzed national health surveys.
Two-thirds of abusers said they used the drugs infrequently.
The study was published online Monday in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
