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Prescription drugs such as pain killers like OxyContin — are now leading the pack as the most common “gateway” to illegal drug use.

For the longest time marijuana, smoking and alcohol were the first drugs of choice by those who later may move into more hard-core drugs and that is where the term “gateway drug” came from.

Prescripton drug abuse is skyrocketing at all age levels.

An “average” 65-year-old (or older) adult living in the United States will fill more than 31 prescriptions per year.

Those aged 19 to 64 take more than 11 prescription drugs per year, while even children take an average of 4, according to statistics from the Kaiser Health Foundation.

It is also important to realize that this does not take into account over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, which would easily push these numbers significantly higher.

There are many reports of doctors getting paid to promote drugs.

Recently, it was revealed that TV and radio personality Dr. Drew Pinsky (aka “Dr. Drew,” of sex-advice-giving fame) allegedly accepted $275,000 to carry out the illegal promotion of GSK’s antidepressant Wellbutrin. Dr. Pinsky is said to have highlighted the drug’s libido-enhancing side effects numerous times.

On July 2, 2012, the British drug maker GlaxoSmithKline plead guilty to three counts of criminal misdemeanor and other civil liabilities relating to the prescription drugs Paxil, Wellbutrin and Avandia, and agreed to pay a total of $3 billion in fines –$1 billion to settle criminal charges, and $2 billion to cover civil liabilities.

The payment is the largest fraud settlement in U.S. history, and the largest fine ever paid by a drug company.

If you are hooked on drugs, click here to learn more about an alternative drug recovery program.