Addiction to prescription drugs is a hot topic these days, however, there are some natural alternatives to pharmaceuticals.

Aside from the cost real benefits include less side affects and addictions.

“There are natural therapies available that are much safer, often more effective, and cost much less,” says Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum, author of the book Real Cause, Real Cure. “Of course, you should never start, change, or stop taking medications without first talking to your doctor.”

The overall rate of deaths from drugs — including heroin, cocaine, and prescription opioids — is approaching the number of deaths from car crashes each year.

In 2007, there were 28,000 deaths from prescription drug overdoses.

Those deaths were driven largely by the abuse of prescription painkillers.

Prescription painkiller abuse now matches abuse of illegal drugs, and mortality from the prescription drugs exceeds overdose deaths from cocaine and heroin combined

“We are in the midst of a public health crisis driven by prescription drug abuses,”

“In 2007, there were 28,000 deaths from prescription drug overdoses — five times the number in 1990, Kerlikowske said. Those deaths were driven largely by the abuse of prescription painkillers.”