Drug Addicts In US Expected To Double By 2020

'There is a huge concern that what we're going to be seeing is a tidal wave of seriously affected substance abusers in later life,' said Frederic Blow, associate professor at the University of Michigan Medical School.

The medical and emotional problems associated with advancing age is another factor. Death of friends, relatives, isolation or other similar factors can lead to substance abuse in individuals over 50 years of age. Alcohol, painkillers and anti-anxiety pills rank first, second and third when it comes to substance abuse.

Nearly 32,556 of the 495,859 emergency hospital visits in the US involved people between 55 and 64 years of age according to 2004 statistics. with respect to those above 65 years, this figure rose to 31,203, representing that drug addiction is indeed becoming a growing problem in the U.S., specifically among the aged.