Although prescription drugs are readily available on the Internet, little is known about the prevalence of Internet use for the purchase of medications without a legitimate prescription, and the characteristics of those that obtain non-prescribed drugs through online sources. The scientific literature on this topic is limited to anecdotal reports or studies plagued by small sample sizes. Within...

Opioid dependence is a chronic relapsing disorder with an excess mortality rate [1-4]. Over than 90% of the estimates relate to heroin, as demonstrated in a global literature review by Degenhardt et al. [5]. Opioid maintenance treatment has proven efficacy in reducing opioid consumption and psychosocial and medical morbidity and in increasing treatment retention rates and social functioning in ...

Prescription drug abuse has received considerable attention in media reports in recent years. The purpose of this article is to describe the Canadian situation and context with regards to prescription drug abuse and the diversion of psychotropic prescription drugs into the illicit drug market, with a focus on the need for more data and interventions. Canada ranks within the top 10% of countries...

Title of thesis: DIVERSION OF PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS IN A COLLEGE STUDENT SAMPLE Laura M. Garnier, Master of Arts, 2008 Thesis directed by: Assistant Professor Brian Johnson Criminology/Criminal Justice, University of Maryland This study sought to determine rates of prescription diversion, what medications are diverted, and what risk factors predict diversion. Surveys from 554 respondents in ...

Title of thesis: DIVERSION OF PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS IN A COLLEGE STUDENT SAMPLE Laura M. Garnier, Master of Arts, 2008 Thesis directed by: Assistant Professor Brian Johnson Criminology/Criminal Justice, University of Maryland This study sought to determine rates of prescription diversion, what medications are diverted, and what risk factors predict diversion. Surveys from 554 respondents in ...

UNLABELLED Two issues relating to prescription opioid nonmedical use that to our knowledge have not been comprehensively addressed in the peer-reviewed literature are discussed: Motives for nonmedical use and the extent of nonmedical use of prescription opioids in other countries. The United States' national annual survey on illicit drug use in the general population (National Survey on Drug Us...

OBJECTIVE   Prescription opioid analgesics are commonly prescribed for moderate to severe pain. An unintended consequence of prescribing opioid analgesics is the abuse and diversion of these medications. Tapentadol ER is a recently approved centrally acting analgesic with synergistic mechanisms of action: μ-opioid receptor agonism and inhibition of norepinephrine reuptake. We assessed the amoun...