SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) - A concern for seniors when it comes to prescription drugs and the possibility of becoming addicted, which can lead to substance abuse.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse says that the U.S. population of adults 55 and older increased by about 6% between 2013 and 2015. Yet, the proportion of people in that age group seeking treatment for opioid use disorder increased nearly 54%. Nine percent of adults aged 50-64 reported past-year marijuana use in 2015-2016, compared to 7.1% in 2012-2013

Medications can be tricky to keep straight.

“As seniors get older, they tend to have more chronic conditions and be on more medications to treat those chronic conditions. The more medications you have, the more risk of possible interactions or causing problems,” said Dr. Dusti

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