Prescription drug abuse (PDA) accounts for much drug-related morbidity and mortality. The PDA issue contains several interrelated dimensions: regulatory, practical, and clinical. Historical and current governmental efforts to regulate prescribing practices are reviewed. The authors discuss the many ways that prescription drugs can be diverted for abuse purposes and how potential abuse situations can be identified in the clinical setting. Types of prescribers at risk for promoting PDA are discussed and remedies for PDA are offered in terms of physician and patient education.