Tuesday, August 21, 2007
AP analysis finds U.S. pain medicine use has skyrocketed 88 percent

MYRTLE BEACH, South Carolina: People in the United States are living in a world of pain and they are popping pills at an alarming rate to cope with it.

The amount of five major prescription painkillers sold at retail establishments rose 88 percent between 1997 and 2005, according to an Associated Press analysis of statistics from the Drug Enforcement Administration.

More than 200,000 pounds (90,720 kilograms) of codeine...READ ON>>>