Every 19 minutes in the United States, someone dies as a result of abusing pharmaceutical drugs. Recently, this crisis has captured national headlines surrounding the unexplained death of singer/actress Whitney Houston. But experts in the field of drug addiction say this is a very real epidemic affecting thousands of American families. The latest CDC report says in 2007 there were about 27,000 unintentional drug overdose deaths in the U.S. More than 12,000 incidents involved prescription pain killers. In the mid 1980's, my guest helped the National Institute on Drug Abuse create the first national group of scientists dedicated to researching all kinds of drug addictions. Their ultimate goal was to develop more effective treatments. Dr. David Friedman is professor of physiology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. Now he is one of a handful of neuro-scientists working to change the negative stigma of drug addiction by categorizing it as a brain disease. He says the only way to really battle drug addiction is by first redefining it. "The chemistry and structure of the brain changes with prolonged drug use," says Dr. Friedman. "And that's why neuro-scientists are now referring to drug addiction as a brain disease." He contends by treating drug addictions as a chronic condition, society can do more to reduce prescription drug abuse and deaths. Plus, media critic Mary Dalton says some of this year Oscar movie nominees are a bit lack-luster. Find out why.
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88.5 WFDD · Your NPR News & Triad Arts Station from
Wake Forest University · wfdd@wfu.edu 1834 Wake Forest Road #8850 · Winston-Salem, NC 27109 · 336-758-8850
88.5 WFDD, the NPR® news and Triad Arts station broadcasting from Wake Forest University, is the only public radio station of its kind located in the Piedmont Triad. It broadcasts news, information, and public affairs programming covering the arts, people, and institutions in the area from both its Winston-Salem and Greensboro studios.
The state's charter NPR® member, 88.5 WFDD is the longest continuously broadcasting public radio station in North Carolina. It is a member of the North Carolina Public Radio Association.
