Arizona Gets $3.5M Grant To Address Prescription Drug Addiction

Published: Tuesday, September 8, 2015 - 11:08am

The Arizona Department of Health Services is getting a $3.5 million grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to fight a serious drug problem in the state: prescription drug addiction.

Health Director Cara Christ said prescription drug addiction in Arizona is a serious problem.

“You can become addicted to these very, very easily. It requires a prescription and so we’re working with providers so that they have the tools they need in order to help patients either avoid addiction or to get off of being addicted,” Chris said.

Christ said one statistic shows the depth of the problem — last year, one person a day died as a result of prescription drug addiction.

Science