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QUINCY, IL -- Whether it's meth, cocaine or marijuana, you've probably heard a lot about drug use and abuse in the Tri-States.  But a new type of addiction is on the rise these days.

Law enforcement throughout the area are encountering more cases of people buying and selling prescription drugs for a quick high.

Is prescription drug abuse a problem in the Tri-States?

Master Sergeant Glen Schwartz with the Illinois State Police said, "Yes I would say it is a problem. It's developed into more of a problem in the last 18 months to two years."

During that time, Illinois State Police have seen an estimated 50 to 60 percent increase in the number of cases and arrests involving illegal prescription drug sales and abuse. His office sees many cases of people selling their own prescriptions on the streets, or stealing prescriptions from others to trade for cash.

Are there any reasons why this would be on the rise?

Master Sergeant Schwartz said, "I think it might have something to do with the availability of other drugs. Locally made meth is down."

Schwartz says the cost of prescription drugs is also lower. Pills can go for about $5 to $20 a pop.   Meth, Cocaine and crack cocaine are all more expensive per gram. So it's a cheaper hit--and in some circles more socially acceptable.

Michael Richardson is the Associate Director of Clinical Services at Recovery Resources in Quincy.  He told me his agency also has seen an increase in this type of drug abuse.  Interestingly enough Richardson says it's becoming quite popular in the baby boomer generation.

Richardson said, "The most common are those who are seeking pain medications for some type of pain disorder and find that it supplies them with not only relief but psychological relief from anxiety. Healthcare professionals are particularly vulnerable to this pattern."

Prescription drugs also have become easily accessible to teenagers, many times as easily as reaching in the medicine cabinet.

We also checked in with law enforcement in Hannibal and Keokuk to see if this is a problem there.

The Hannibal Police Department told us it is, but that there hasn't been a significant increase in the last couple of years.

We also talked with Keokuk Chief of Police Tom Crew.  He says prescription drug abuse have been an ongoing problem for years with cases popping up every week.  He also says it's a constant problem for officers on the street, as well as pharmacies and physicians in the area.

Right now, the most common drugs being traded on the streets include pain relievers such as OxyCotin, Vicodin and percoset, depressants such as Valium and Xanax and stimulants such as Adderall and Ritalin, which are used to treat Attention Deficit Disorder.

In case you were wondering, prescription drug abusers face hefty consequences.  We found out that using prescription drugs illegally is a felony, which can come with one to four years in prison. Selling your prescription is also a felony that comes with at least three to seven years behind bars.

One such arrest was that of  34 year-old Angela Massingill of Quincy.  A Judge found her guilty recently of selling her 11 year old daughter's attention deficit disorder medications.  She's currently beginning her four year prison sentence.  She's held in the Dwight Correctional Center.

We talked with officials from recovery resources who told us many people hop from doctor to doctor, looking for a physician to prescribe their pill of choice.

Dr. Carol Espejo is a physical rehabilitation physician and pain specialist at Blessing Physician Services.  She says doctors thoroughly evaluate each patient and their medical history before prescribing pain medications.  But she says with prescription abuse growing across the country, it's cause for even more diligence to make sure the right people are taking the drugs.

Is it a concern to doctors that people are misusing prescriptions?

Dr. Espejo said, "It's a concern because it exposes doctors to liability.  It's a concern because a lot of good doctors get burned for prescribing these drugs because people divert them. They abuse it.  They (people) have to realize the risk of taking pain medication. There is more risk than benefit if you're not using it correctly."

Dr. Espejo says using prescription drugs when you don't need them are dangerous and can even cause death.  Prescriptions causes brain neurons to die, which can seriously damage your concentration and attention span.  It also can cause gastrointestinal problems and osteoporosis. In the short term, these drugs can cause personality changes, making users more violent and easily agitated.