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More Americans are using counterfeit prescription drugs

By Staff Writer

Drug addiction costs the U.S. nearly $484 billion every year, according to Drug Addiction Support, a statistics site. Rehabilitation facilities can provide substance abuse help, but drug availability continues to remain a growing concern across the country.

Approximately one in six Americans takes counterfeit medication without a prescription, according to The Partnership at Drugfree.org. Victoria Espinel, U.S. Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator, says that companies that sell drugs to individuals who do not have prescriptions are conducting illegal business.

Recently, 11 companies came together to create a nonprofit group dedicated to raising awareness of these dangerous counterfeit drugs. MasterCard, Google and Microsoft are all involved in the project.

The Obama Administration addressed the issue of counterfeit pharmaceutical drugs in June. The government and private sectors are currently working to reduce the rate at which medications are illegally distributed to individuals without prescriptions over the internet.

More than 7 million people aged 12 or older admitted to using medications for non-medical purposes within a 30-day period in 2006, according to Drug Addiction Support. Drug rehab centers can help individuals who have become addicted to prescription drugs and want to detoxify.