Prescription Medications Brief Description:

Prescription drugs that are ill-used or used for non-medical reasons can make an alteration to brain activity and lead to dependence.  Commonly abused classes of prescription drugs include opioids (frequently prescribed to treat pain), central nervous system depressants (frequently prescribed to treat anxiety and sleep disorders), and stimulants (prescribed to treat narcolepsy, ADHD, and obesity).  Abuse of prescription drugs to get high has become progressively widespread among teens and young adults.  As the Nation’s most prevalent illegal drug problem, the abuse of prescription pain killers now ranks second behind marijuana.

There are three classes of prescription drugs that are most commonly abused:

* Commonly used opioids include oxycodone (OxyContin), propoxyphene (Darvon), hydrocodone (Vicodin), hydromorphone (Dilaudid), meperidine (Demerol), and  diphenoxylate  (Lomotil).

* Common central nervous system depressants include barbiturates such as pentobarbital sodium (Nembutal), and benzodiazepines such as diazepam (Valium) and alprazolam (Xanax).

* Common stimulants include dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine) and methylphenidate (Ritalin).

Effects:

Long-term use of central nervous system depressants may lead to addiction and physical dependence.  When consumed in high doses, stimulants can lead to compulsive use, irregular heartbeat, paranoia, and dangerously high body temperatures.

Statistics and Trends:

A number of national studies show that the willful abuse of prescription drugs, such as pain relievers, tranquillizers, stimulants and sedatives, to get high is a growing concern specifically among teens.  Source: National Survey on Drug Use and Health, in 2006, 16.2 million Americans age 12 and older had taken a prescription pain reliever, tranquillizer, stimulant, or sedative for non-medical purposes at least once in the year prior to being surveyed. Source: Monitoring the Future found 2.7% of 8th graders, 7.2% of 10th graders, and 9.6% of 12th graders had abused Vicodin and 1.8% of 8th graders, 3.9% of 10th graders, and 5.2% of 12th graders had abused OxyContin for non-medical purposes at least once in the year prior to being surveyed.

Teens misuse of prescription drugs

Prescription drug abuse by young adults and teens is a major problem in the U.S. This is an extract of the report by the Partnership for a Drug Free America’s annual tracking study:

• 1 in 5 teens has abused a prescription (Rx) pain medication
• 1 in 5 report abusing prescription stimulants and tranquilizers
• 1 in 10 has abused cough medication

 Many teenagers think these medications are safe because they have monitored and tested but taking them without a doctor's prescription to get high or “self-medicate”. These medications can be as dangerous if not more and addictive as using street narcotics and other illegal drugs.

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