The Washington Post (3/20, Naqvi) reports that research published in Pediatrics indicates that “from January 2000 until December 2015, about 188,000 calls were placed to poison control centers regarding pediatric and teenage exposure to opioids.” The data indicated “sixty percent of the children exposed to opioids were younger than 5, while teenagers accounted for 30 percent.”
Reuters (3/20, Seaman) reports, “A companion paper in Pediatrics…reports a strong link between prescribed opioids and their recreational use.” The study indicated that “teens who abused opioids were often prescribed the drugs at some point by a” physician.
Related Links:
— “Poison control centers receive 32 calls a day about children exposed to opioids,”Jia Naqvi, The Washington Post, March 20, 2017.