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










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