Prescription pain med use nearly doubles

An investigation by Frank Bass of the Associated Press shows that the use of pain medication has nearly doubled in the U.S. over the past eight years. According to the latest figures from the Drug Enforcement Adminstration, "More than 200,000 pounds of codeine, morphine, oxycodone, hydrocodone and meperidine were purchased at retail stores…enough to give more than 300 milligrams of painkillers to every person in the country." Reasons for the surge have been linked to an aging population, unprecedented marketing by pharmaceutical companies, and changes in the medical communities philosophy on pain management.