Other symptoms of withdraw include anxiety, backache, joint pain, weakness, abdominal cramps, insomnia, nausea, anorexia, vomiting, diarrhea, or an increase in blood pressure, respiratory rate and heart rate ("OxyContin,"" 2539). Overdoses on the drug can be manifested by respiratory depression, somnolence progressing to stupor or coma, cold and clammy skin, hypotension, bradycardia and death ("OxyContin,"" 2540). ... Death from fatal respiratory depression can happen, but some of the more common reasons abusers die are from injecting the drug, infection and blood clots from the pill partic...

• Word Count: 2211
• Approx Pages: 9
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Definition The use of illicit or illegal drugs or the abuse of prescription or over-the-counter drugs for purposes other than those for which they are indicated or in a manner or in quantities other than directed. History of Drug Abuse Humans have used drugs of one sort or another for thousands of years. Wine was used at least from the time of the early Egyptians; narcotics from 4000 B.C.; and medicinal use of marijuana has been dated to 2737 B.C. in China. But not until the 19th cent. A.D. were the active substances in drugs extracted. ...

• Word Count: 5106
• Approx Pages: 20
• Grade Level: Undergraduate