Bailey Singletary is a junior majoring in communication. She can be contacted at [email protected]. As most people know, about a month ago Heath Ledger was found dead at his apartment from a suspected overdose of medication. On Feb. 6, Ledger’s autopsy was released stating that he died from an accidental overdose of oxycodone, hydrocodone, diazepam, temazepam, alprazolam and doxylamine. To put it in laymen’s terms, he more than likely overdosed from mixing together OxyContin, Vicodin, Valium, Xanax and Restoril, but the report did not use brand names.
Although Ledger was a successful celebrity, he’s not the only one that has access to these pills. In fact, I know of many students at MSU that take one or more of these pills recreationally. So if taking one too many of these pills can end fatally, why are they so accessible to college students?
According to a March 2007 article in High Times magazine, prescription drug abuse is about to exceed the use of illicit street drugs in the U.S.
“The high and increasing level of abuse of prescription drugs by both adolescents and adults is a serious cause for concern,” according to the International Narcotics Control Board.
An MSU student, who desires to remain anonymous, said he takes pills such as Loratabs and Xanax because “they just kind of mellow me out, and it’s cheaper and easier to get than weed.”
This didn’t really surprise me, but after recently tearing some ligaments in my knee, I was given prescription painkillers to ease the pain, and what did surprise me was how many people hinted around that they would buy some from me. When some people saw me on crutches, the first thing they asked was, “So, what kind of pills did you get?”
It’s hard for me to believe that every college student that walks into a doctor’s office has attention deficit disorder, insomnia, chronic pain and anxiety, but it seems like more than usual walk out with prescriptions to Adderall, Xanax and some form of painkillers. I guess weed just didn’t make the cut anymore for getting high, or the people smoking it got too lazy to prepare it.
I wonder when doctors are going to stop handing out pills left and right. Is it going to be when the problem is far too out of hand and numerous students die of overdoses and heart failures?
Another student I talked to about taking pills said: “Alcohol is a bigger problem to me. I mean, how many people do you see taking pills and trying to fight? I don’t see many. And maybe it’s just me, but I have a lot harder time driving after a few drinks than I do after one Loratab. It’s not my fault that it’s easy to get Adderall so I can study or so I can sell them and make a few extra bucks.”
While this may all be true, not everyone is just taking one pill and laying around the house. Other people take a few and then go to the bar to get wasted. I know that those who do this aren’t going to quit cold turkey since they are physically and mentally dependent on them, but it seems like it’s becoming a serious problem for our generation.