A doctor authoring facts about prescription drugs

How Long Do Prescription Drugs Stay in Your System?

Addiction, Blog, Controlled Substances, Drug Information, Prescription Drugs / Dave Cundiff, MD, MPH, FASAM

When it comes to drug use in the United States, the primary concern used to be substances like cocaine, marijuana, and heroin. But in recent decades, prescription drug addiction treatment has become much needed. Like all drugs, opioids produce short-term effects that users crave and compulsively chase. What some users don’t consider, however, is the [...]

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Man sampling some commonly abused painkillers

3 of the Most Commonly Abused Painkillers

Addiction, Drug Addiction, Drug Information, Prescription Drugs / Dave Cundiff, MD, MPH, FASAM

Finding an effective pain medication is imperative after recovery from surgery, a car accident, or for those living with chronic pain. Some of the commonly abused painkillers on the market today can treat pain successfully. However, this is only true when following the prescription and not taking it with other drugs or alcohol. Unfortunately, most

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What Are Gateway Drugs?

Addiction, Infographic, Prescription Drugs, Rehabilitation / Dave Cundiff, MD, MPH, FASAM

In the United States, substance use is prevalent in the media. Songs, TV shows, and movies all highlight the appeal of substance use. However, the United States also faces an opioid crisis that claims countless lives every year. Many people blame the growth of gateway drugs on the rise of the opioid addiction crisis. However,

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Facts About Prescription Drugs

Addiction Therapy, Drug Addiction, Infographic, Prescription Drugs / Dave Cundiff, MD, MPH, FASAM

Prescription drugs are some of the most dangerous substances in the United States. Despite coming at the recommendations of medical professionals, these substances often have high abuse and addiction potentials. In fact, there are more people struggling with prescription drug abuse than there are users of meth, cocaine, and heroin combined. These facts about prescription

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A woman thinking about Adderall abuse in college students

Adderall Abuse Among College Students: What You Should Know

Adderall Addiction Treatment, Addiction, Drug Addiction, Prescription Drugs, Teen/Young Adult / Dave Cundiff, MD, MPH, FASAM

Adderall abuse in college students is widespread and can be found on nearly every college campus across the country. It’s a stimulant that students use to increase their attention span and gives them a boost of energy for several hours. As such, it’s a highly addictive substance and can lead to abusing harder drugs, such

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Hydromorphone vs. Morphine

Drug Addiction, Prescription Drugs, Rehabilitation / Dave Cundiff, MD, MPH, FASAM

Presently, chronic pain is giving more people severe discomfort on a daily basis. In fact, the NIH reports that 76.2 million Americans experience pain lasting at least 24 hours each year. Hence, the number of prescriptions written for pain medicine is astoundingly high. Namely, opioid drugs like morphine are used to block the pain sensations.

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overview of what purple drank is and its dangers

What is Purple Drank?

Blog, Controlled Substances, Drug Addiction, Drug Information, Prescription Drugs, Substance Use / Dave Cundiff, MD, MPH, FASAM

In the early 2000s, purple drank gained widespread popularity in the United States, particularly among hip-hop and rap communities. This was due to its frequent mentions in popular music as well as high-profile celebrity endorsements. In addition, a number of media reports ran stories about celebrities’ use of the drink, giving it more attention and

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Therapist and patient discussing an opioid overdose

How To Respond To An Opioid Overdose

Drug Information, Drug Overdose, Opioid Addiction Rehab, Prescription Drugs / Dave Cundiff, MD, MPH, FASAM

In 2015 in the United States alone, more than 33,000 people died as a result of an opioid overdose. More than half of those overdoses were a result of prescription opioids. That statistic is terrifying. Sadly, there are more. The National Institute on Drug Abuse has collected statistics on opioid use and abuse. Here are

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A glass of purple drank that hints at the effects of purple drank

What Are the Effects of Purple Drank?

Addiction, Addiction Therapy, Controlled Substances, Drug Information, Prescription Drugs, Substance Use, Teen/Young Adult / Dave Cundiff, MD, MPH, FASAM

Purple drank, also known as "lean," is both an addictive and harmful drug cocktail. It can lead to long-term dependency, dangerous behavioral changes, and significant side effects. While purple drank is commonly consumed in social settings, it is important to understand the main purple drank effects. Unlike other highly addictive and illegal drug habits, purple

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Group session on the timeline of Vicodin withdrawal symptoms

Vicodin Withdrawal Timeline

Addiction, Detox, Drug Information, Prescription Drugs / Dave Cundiff, MD, MPH, FASAM

When people begin recovery for any drug, they first have to undergo withdrawal. With each drug, there's a different timeline, or length of time, that it takes for withdrawal symptoms to subside. It's important to note that Vicodin is one of the most abused prescription drugs on the market. Because of that, it's essential for

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