Xanax Abuse Rising in US; SAMHSA Report

Xanax-related emergency room visits have increased in the last six years, a new report says.

Popular prescription sedative, Alprazolam - commonly known as Xanax, sent 123,000 people to the ER in 2011, according to a report by Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The number of people seeking medical attention due to Xanax doubled from 57,419 to 124,902 during the years 2005 to 2010.

"We're seeing growth in the number of people who are getting into trouble with these drugs," says Pete Delany, director of SAMHSA's Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, according to USA Today. "Patients really need to be educated that if these drugs are misused, they can be really, really dangerous."

The new report is based on data from SAMHSA's 2011 Drug Abuse Warning Network. DAWN monitors drug-related emergency visits in the U.S.

Around 1.2 million people in the U.S sought medical attention due to prescription drug abuse in 2011, SAMHSA said. Xanax was responsible for around 10 percent of these visits.

"When used as directed, alprazolam is safe and effective, but misuse can result in serious health consequences," said SAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde, according to a news release. "This report highlights the need to educate people about the dangers of misusing or sharing prescription medications and the importance of properly disposing of unused medication."

Alprazolam belongs to a class of drugs called benzodiazepines and is used to lower anxiety attacks. The drug works by decreasing excitement in the brain.

Recent studies have shown that the popularity of Xanax has soared in the U.S. The drug is addictive.

Dr. Howard Mell, an emergency room physician based in Cleveland, Ohio, told CNN that he sees several patients with Xanax-related health complications. Most common combination of drug-use include Xanax and alcohol or alprazolam plus prescription opiates.

According to Mell, the people abusing Xanax are usually soccer moms or business leaders who think that the drugs are safe to use without medical supervision.