A new study found that over a seven year period, states with the greatest expansion in high speed internet access also had the largest increase in admissions for treatment of prescription drug abuse.
Researchers believe access to rogue online pharmacies may be driving a rapid increase in the abuse in the U.S. of prescription drugs, especially powerful painkillers such as Percocet and Oxycontin.
The study in the journal Health Affairs says the pharmacies typically located outside the U.S. send out millions of email solicitations a year, and many do not follow U.S. regulations requiring a physicians prescription for the drugs.
