The Relationship between Pill Sharing Networks and Abuse of Opiate Pain Relievers

Abstract

Extended research on prescription drug abuse is limited, specificallysurrounding opiate pill source. The purpose of the current research study is toexamine if people who receive opiate prescription pills from friends use moreopiate prescription pills per month than people who receive them from othersources and doctors. A sample size of 1,462 opiate prescription abusers wasdrawn from the 67,804 participants who participated in the 2010 National Surveyon Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). The relationship between opiate prescriptionpill use and source of pills was examined. People who obtain pills from othersources significantly used opiate pills on more days than those who got pills fromfriends or doctors. Opiate usage did not differ by gender or age. Usage washigher for people in treatment for emotional/mental distress than for those not intreatment. Future research into additional prescription opiate pill abuse sourcesis necessary. The development of interventions to reduce opiate pill diversion isalso recommended.