Drexel study links pain medication addiction to heroin use
What began with a broken bone or pulled wisdom teeth turned into a heroin addiction for some young adults, as Drexel University researchers have discovered.
A study from the school of public health finds many 18- to 25-year-olds with heroin addictions started out with prescription pain meds — often for legitimate uses.
Behavioral Health reporter Maiken Scott talked to Stephen Lankenau, lead investigator of the study, about the connection and how to prevent pain treatment from becoming an illegal substance addiction.
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