The Military, Medications, and How Accidental Death Can Result
For years, the military has worried that an over-reliance on prescription “painkillers” was putting both veterans and active-duty troops at risk of addiction, serious adverse reactions to the drugs, and accidental death. The problem was found to be greatest among veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan—particularly those with post-traumatic stress disorder. These men and women, according to a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, may have been given “inappropriate prescriptions” for opioids in a misguided attempt to quickly relieve their suffering.