Sources
1. In Wyoming, a leading form of drug abuse in 12 to 25 year olds is prescription painkillers, like hydrocodone or oxycodone.
http://www.wyrxabusestakeholders.com/facts–statistics
2. Many teens believe that prescription drugs are actually “safer” and less addictive than illegal street drugs.
3. Since 2004, deaths from prescription painkiller overdose has nearly doubled.
http://www.wyrxabusestakeholders.com/facts–statistics
4. More people are dying as a result of overdosing on prescription painkillers than they are from overdosing on heroin.
5. Misusing prescription painkillers can dramatically slow, or completely stop, your breathing.
6. Resulting in a lack of oxygen to the brain and causing unintentional, but completely permanent, brain damage.
http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/health-consequences-drug-misuse/neurological-effects
7. Misusing Painkillers can lead to serious addiction —
http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/misuse-prescription-drugs/summary
8. Prescription drug abuse can increase your likelihood to abuse alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine.
9. People who live in rural counties are twice as likely as overdose on prescription painkillers as people in bigger cities.
http://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/painkilleroverdoses/index.html
10. Forty-six people in Wyoming died from a prescription opioid overdose in 2015.