Prescription drugs are a dangerous drug that the DEA said seven million Americans abuse. In fact, prescription drugs cause more deaths than heroine and cocaine combined. The rapid growing trend of abuse is fueling a new war on drugs here in the Valley.

It's a scene Mel Anderson will never forget. His pharmacy was recently the crime scene for a robbery.

"I really didn't know until the gentleman actually pulled the gun and pointed it at me," said Mel Anderson, a pharmacist at Medicap.

The man holding the gun didn't want money. He wanted Hydromorphone and Oxycodone. Anderson said this request was scary because drug addicts are unpredictable.

"It's terrifying.. because you don't know what's going through that person's mind."

It's a feeling thousands have felt, and there will likely be more as the number of prescription drug related crimes explodes in the US.

"We've had over 70 indictments in circuit court alone dealing with prescription drug abuse in the last several months that's from December til present. and that is an amazing amount," said Commonwealth Attorney, Marsha Garst.

The charges range from simple possession to robberies and burglaries. It's keeping Mark Campbell and the rest of RUSH Drug Task Force busy trying to find ways to stop the problem.

His biggest challenge is how the public views prescription medication.

"The biggest public perception problem is because is a prescription medication it's not a big deal," said Mark Campbell, a supervisor of the RUSH Drug Task Force.

Garst agreed.

"While you may not think these drugs are the same as methamphetamine or cocaine they are and they will get the hooks into you and ruin your life."

While public perception is an issue, how we handle these drugs is also a problem. If you have a prescription drug that you don't need anymore, you may think you're doing your part by taking it to the garbage.

Unfortunately though this just isn't enough to keep it out of the hands of people who mean to abuse it.

"You would be surprised at how many people involved in this culture will go through the garbage looking for that very exact thing," said Campbell.

Ultimately when a problem gets this big, it takes a lot to reverse it. Education is the first step.

Garst and Campbell hope dealers know that selling prescription drugs illegally could land them in jail for 40 years.

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