A recent report released by the office of Applied Studies, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration revealed that substance abuse treatment admissions for prescription drug addiction increased fourfold from 1998 to 2008.

The report was based on the Treatment Episode Data and discovered that the rise in admissions reporting pain reliever abuse went across age, gender, education and race. Prescription pain abuse is the second most prevalent kind of illicit drug abuse after marijuana.

The findings suggest that socio-demographic factors like unemployment, lack of income and homelessness all rose among this treatment group during this period.

SAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde said, “This rise in substance abuse treatment among older adults and the changes in the socioeconomic situation of this treatment group reflect the changing landscape over the past 17 years and highlights the importance of providing additional specialized treatment services and social supports to address these needs.”

“To truly battle substance abuse and lower substance abuse levels on all fronts, requires a combined effort from the federal government, states and local communities. And people of all ages need to be aware that there is help available to them so that they can take action before a substance abuse problem becomes a devastating addiction.”