Opiate addiction research

Posted by Eric on July 31, 1999 at 05:14:10

Dear Dr. Steve, I'm a pre-med student at Stanford University who is currently
working in a pharmacy as a summer job. I have been rudely awaked by first hand
views of socially acceptable drug addiction like vicodin addiction (why does one
patient get 120 Norco every week along with muscle relaxants ask the doctor for
a triplicate for dilaudid?), valium addiction (patient: "oh PLEASE forward me
some for the weekend, i'm SURE the doctor will ok the refill."), dexadrine
addiction (what does a 45 year old bipolar depressive on a HOST of other meds
need Speed for? and why does the doctor write ADD as the diagnosis on the
triplicate?)... etc.
I have (as you can plainly see) had a very hard time
rationalizing the benefits of some of these medications with the ways in which
doctors perscribe them (like candy). I was wondering (since i can't get to the
medical library at Stanford until the fall) where online i can find recent
research on painkiller addiction, perscription habits, detox, FDA sceduling,
etc. as a base for background research. I am very interested in doing some
research of my own in these feilds, and i need to start reading past research to
being formualating my own ideas into surveys and experiments...
can you help?

thanks, eric



Posted by SA, M.D. - HVMA on August 01, 1999 at 11:15:08

Dear Eric,

Start with the home page of the National Institute of Drug Addiction -
http://www.nida.nih.gov - you are clearly on to something and your interest is
extremely well-founded. Good luck and keep me in the loop.

DrSteve - http://www.drsteve.org