Study: Narcotic abuse may be overstated

University scientists, in a new study, challenge the conventional wisdom that drugs used for relief of severe pain – such as morphine – are widely abused.

The Pain and Policy Studies Group of the Comprehensive Cancer Center detail their study of the issue in an article published April 5 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

The study found that from 1990 to 1996 there were significant increases in the amounts of opioids such as morphine prescribed by U.S. physicians, but abuse of opioids remained low.

Morphine and other opioids are used to relieve severe pain and are approved for medical use by prescription only. Opioids have a potential for abuse and are classified under federal and state law as controlled substances.

“Although there are many ways to treat pain, the increased medical use of opioids is a strong indicator that we are making progress to improve pain management,” says David E. Joranson, lead author and group director.

One of the reasons for inadequate pain management is that health professionals fear that opioid medications will be abused. Co-author Karen Ryan, chief policy analyst group, says, “This study suggests that increased use of opioid pain medications resulting in abuse may be based more on myth than reality.”

“We must continue to exercise caution with opioids, since there is an illicit demand for these drugs,” Ryan adds.

For more information, visit: http://www.medsch.wisc.edu/painpolicy.