--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Worldwide pharmaceutical opiate…" description: "\"“Worldwide pharmaceutical opiate production rose steadily but it was the United States...that now consumed 83 percent of the world's oxycodone and full..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b8/sam-quinones-45607_first-time_worldwide-pharmaceutical-opiate-producti_1801887.jpg" --- # Worldwide pharmaceutical opiate production rose steadily… ![“Worldwide pharmaceutical opiate production rose steadily but it was the United States...that now consumed 83 percent of the world's oxycodone and fully 99 percent of the world's hydrocodone... "Gram for gram...people in the United States consume more narcotic medication than any other nation…” quote by Sam Quinones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b8/sam-quinones-45607_first-time_worldwide-pharmaceutical-opiate-producti_1801887.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b8/sam-quinones-45607_first-time_worldwide-pharmaceutical-opiate-producti_1801887.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b8/sam-quinones-45607_first-time_worldwide-pharmaceutical-opiate-producti_1801887.jpg) > ““Worldwide pharmaceutical opiate production rose steadily but it was the United States...that now consumed 83 percent of the world's oxycodone and fully 99 percent of the world's hydrocodone... "Gram for gram...people in the United States consume more narcotic medication than any other nation worldwide." Drugs containing hydrocodone became the most prescribed drugs in America (136 million prescriptions a year...), and opiate painkillers are the most prescribed class of drugs... Between 2002 and 2011, 25 million Americans used prescription pills nonmedically. Amid all this, opiate abusers began to get younger...2.4 million people twelve years or older had used a prescription pail reliever nonmedically for the first time within the previous year- more than the estimated numbers using marijuana for the first time. The pain-pill abuser's average age was twenty-two.”” [Sam Quinones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-quinones/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The U.S. dominates global consumption of prescription opioids, leading to widespread misuse and a younger demographic of abusers. **In simple terms:** America uses most of the world’s prescription painkillers, causing a crisis. Key Takeaway Address prescribing practices and educate youth. Themes public health addiction policy youth pharmaceuticals Mood concerned urgent reflective Type statistical analytical cautionary When to use this quote - healthcare policy reform - school education programs - community outreach - pain management alternatives Key Concepts opioid epidemic prescription drug misuse market dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance legitimate pain relief with abuse prevention? - What role should pharma companies play in reducing misuse? A Different Perspective Efforts to curb prescribing may push users toward illicit drugs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [First time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-time/) [Opiate Painkillers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opiate-painkillers-2037909/) [Opiate Production](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opiate-production-2037908/) [Wine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wine/) [World Hydrocodone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-hydrocodone-2037907/) [World Oxycodone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-oxycodone-2037906/) [Year Opiate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/year-opiate-2037905/) ## Related quotes > [A man walks down the street. It's a street in a strange world. Maybe it's the third world. 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Between 2002 and 2011, 25 million Americans used prescription pills nonmedically. Amid all this, opiate abusers began to get younger...2.4 million people twelve years or older had used a prescription pail reliever nonmedically for the first time within the previous year- more than the estimated numbers using marijuana for the first time. 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