Pain killer abuse admissions up 430% in 10 years

There are more sad numbers to consider.  This time, a government report shows a 430% increase in hospital admissions for prescription pain killer abuse between 1999 and 2009.  According to information from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) the nationwide rates (per 100,000) showed a jump from 10 to 53.  Meanwhile, the rate for marijuana jumped 33% from 102 to 136 per population unit.  Nationally cocaine admissions dropped 34% from 107 to 71 per 100K persons.  Alcohol abuse admissions dropped from 364 to 314.  The total admissions for all substances changed only a bit, from 759 to 753 per population unit.
The 'per 100,000' statistical values are useful for relative comparisons.  However, the text of the report shows a total number of hospital admitted people for that year to be 1,963,089.  That is, nearly 2 million times a substance abuse problem reached the point where someone had to be hospitalized in this country.

For the release <click here>

For the report <click here>