The National Drug Threat Assessment 2010 report released by the National Drug Intelligence Centre (NDIC) states that opioid pain relievers such as hydromorphone, codeine, meperidine and fentanyl are some of the most commonly abused prescription drugs in America, second only to the illicit drug marijuana. NDIC also states that around 21 percent of the U.S. population uses prescription drugs for nonmedical reasons. Prescription drug abusers may consume these medications along with alcohol or other illicit drugs to attain a heroin-like euphoria, which can be fatal in extreme cases.
What Statistics Say
It was reported in 2008 by the National Survey on Drug Use and Health that about 15.2 million Americans above the age of 12 consumed tranquilizers, painkillers, sedatives and stimulants in 2007 for non-medical reasons. According to National Drug Threat Assessment 2010 report, opioid analgesics alone were responsible for 11,001 unintentional poisoning deaths in 2006 in America, which was at 3,994 levels in 2001. The last set of figures indicate the abuse of common prescription drugs is on the rise among Americans.
Prescription Drug Abuse in Teenagers
Teenagers have easy access to prescription drugs via the family medicine cabinet. Teenagers may begin this unwise activity as an experiment or because of peer pressure. Before a teenager realizes her growing dependence on controlled prescription drugs, she may already be addicted to them. Help and intervention are needed for teenagers who develop a dependence on prescription drugs.
Effects of Drug Abuse
When depressants for the central nervous system or painkiller opioids are taken for a long time, they lead to addiction and physical dependence. According to DrugFree.org, opioids like OxyContin cause other medical problems like constipation and drowsiness and also affect breathing, depending on the quantity of drugs taken. Depressants, on the other hand, cause brain functioning to slow down and affect respiration and heart beat rate. When high doses of depressant drugs are consumed, they lead to problems like anxiety, paranoia, seizures and an irregular heartbeat. Overdose can be fatal in some cases.
Prescription Drugs and Illicit Drugs
In its report, the National Drug Threat Assessment 2010 states that people who resort to abuse of prescription drugs usually have a history of substance abuse. These substance abusers usually use multiple prescription drugs to attain euphoria similar to that produced by narcotics.
Preventive Measures
The National Drug Threat Assessment 2010 has concluded that unscrupulous physicians operating from Florida are primarily responsible for dispensing or prescribing opioids to distributors and abusers. Distributors then channel these illegally procured prescription drugs to schools, colleges and states having Prescription Drugs Management Programs. Thus, if you reside in or around Florida, be extra careful about your teen becoming addicted to prescription drugs. Asking for more allowance, acting uncharacteristically, demanding more privacy and being secretive about friends are telltale signs that your teenager might be involved with prescription drug abuse and addiction.
