While America has around five percent of the world’s population, it consumes about eighty percent of the world’s supply of painkillers. This has led to drug overdoses taking over the leading cause of accidental death in the United States. Educating our youth is a critical preventative method to curbing the opioid epidemic and substance abuse in general.
My arm hurts so much! The label says take one every five hours. I'll take one now and set a timer.
ABUSE
I'm going to take a handful so I don't feel anything.
Drug use is proper intake of medication. Reading the prescription instruction is an example.
Drug abuse is purposeful intake of a drug to get high. An example of this is exceeding the recommended dosage to feel a stronger effect.
ADDICTION
I know my arm is healed, but I need to keep taking the rest of these leftover pills.
ADDICTION TERMS
MISUSE
My arm hurts so much! I THINK the doctor told me I should take two every six hours...
Addiction is the reoccurring use of a drug or harmful substance, regardless of consequences. Continuing to take pain medication without pain is a warning sign for an addiction.
Drug misuse is accidentally taking medication in an unhealthy manor. Taking the wrong dosage is one example.