Rising Prescription Drug Abuse in Hollywood

Beverly Hills, Calif. (PRWEB) February 17, 2007 — Recent news of Anna Nicole Smith’s death is sweeping the nation and dominating news reports daily. The mystery of her death remains intriguing to journalists, biographers and those who loved and admired her as an American icon. Although several reports have been issued and rumors have swirled, the truth remains a secret until toxicology reports are released with concrete evidence stating the exact cause of her tragic death. According to Clare Waismann, executive director of the Waismann Method of Opiate Detoxification, these and other recent headlines should serve as a grim reminder of the dangers of prescription drug use and abuse.
As we learn more about the case and additional details are revealed, the question on everyone’s mind today is: “Were prescription drugs Anna Nicole’s silent killer, and what exactly is methadone?”
To some Americans, mainly advocates who have been helped by the prescription drug, methadone is a lifesaving replacement therapy for heroin and other illegal drugs. It is also used as a remedy for extremely severe pain relief. To another and much larger group of Americans, methadone is a very dangerous and highly addictive opiate medication raising serious public health concerns.
“It is crucial that society opens its eyes to the dangers imposed by replacement therapies like methadone,” said Waismann. “I question why Anna Nicole and her son were taking this medication to begin with. If it was intended to treat an existing dependency, I hope as a society we realize that this strong and sometimes lethal narcotic can cause more problems than it alleviates.”
The debate over methadone will continue to rage; on, however, one thing that cannot be argued over is that the abuse of prescription medication is an epidemic that hasn’t escaped even Hollywood’s elite. Recent celebrities alleged to have abused prescription drugs include Lindsay Lohan, Pete Doherty, Miss USA Tara Conner and, just this morning, British celebrity Robbie Williams made a shocking confession as he admitted himself to a U.S. rehab facility for prescription drug addition.
“Of Waismann Method patients who were treated in 2006, an alarming 85.5 percent were treated for prescription dependency,” says Waismann. “The public needs to know that recreational or medical use of prescription medications can result in a serious dependency.”
To coordinate an interview with Clare Waismann, please contact Tara Fanning at 619-234-0345 or via email. For more information please visit www.opiates.com.
About the Waismann Method
Drs. Clifford A. Bernstein and Michael Lowenstein use the exclusive Waismann Method of rapid detox to treat opiate dependency. Performed in a hospital intensive care unit, the Waismann Method involves cleansing the opiate receptors in the patient’s brain of the narcotics while the patient is under anesthesia. During the procedure, the patient will experience no conscious withdrawal and will be able to return home within days. 75 percent of the prescription drug dependent patients who are treated with the Waismann Method remain drug-free after one year.