4 ways employers can combat prescription drug overuse and abuse

A lack of connection to co-workers, especially in the remote and hybrid workplace, can lead to a decrease in employee productivity, happiness and engagement. (Image: Shutterstock)

The rise of prescription drug abuse is a rampant and well-documented problem affecting a wide range of age groups and many aspects of society. According to the National Center for Drug Abuse statistics, 16.3 million people misuse prescriptions each year, 12% of whom develop an addiction. The factors driving the rise of abuse are many, with experts attributing it to doctors writing more scripts than ever before and patients having greater access to more drugs via mail and online pharmacies.

While opioids, stimulants and central nervous system depressants are among the most common classes of prescription drugs likely to be abused, the list is not limited to those usual suspects. Drugs for skin tightening, erectile dysfunction, HIV PrEP, sleeping, anxiety, antibiotics and more are all ripe for abuse and misuse. Sadly, just about any drug intended to address an acute condition can be overprescribed and abused.