Prescription drug abuse is a serious problem among teenagers. According to the Office of National Drug Control Policy, prescription pills are the second most abused drug, with marijuana being the first, among people between ages 12 and 17. The Partnership for a Drug-Free America notes that teenagers may think that prescription pills are a safe way to get high, but these medications have as many dangers as other illicit drugs, such as street narcotics.
Statistics
The National Institute on Drug Abuse states that in 2008, 7.7 percent of teenagers abused a prescription drug; the majority of these users, 1.6 million out of 1.9 million, abused a prescription painkiller. The Office of National Drug Control Policy adds that the states with the highest rates of teenager prescription painkiller abuse include Arkansas with 10.3 percent of teenagers abusing, Kentucky with 9.8 percent and Montana with 9.6 percent.
Abused Prescriptions
The National Institute on Drug Abuse states that teenagers tend to abuse opioids, depressants and stimulants. Examples of opioids, or pain relievers, are oxycodone, methadone, codeine and morphine. Street names for opioids include vikes, happy pills and oxy. If a teenager abuses a depressant, he may use barbiturates, benzodiazepines or sleep medications. Barbiturates, such as mephobarbital, and benzodiazepines, such as diazepam, result in a relaxing effect. Street names for barbiturates are barbs, yellow jackets and phennies, while street names for benzodiazepines are candy and downers. Sleep medications, such as zolpidem, are also called A-minus and zombie pills. Stimulants, such as dextroamphetamine and methylphenidate, increase alertness. Teenagers may refer to stimulants as uppers, bennies or Vitamin R.
Access to Prescriptions
The Partnership for a Drug-Free America states that for some prescription drug abusers, they find the pills in the medicine cabinet at home. Prescription drug abusers may also get the pills from a friend who has a prescription for that medication. The Office of National Drug Control Policy states that 47 percent of teenagers get the medication for free from a friend or family member; 10 percent buy the medication from a friend or family member; and 10 percent steal the medication.
Dangers From Use
When a person takes a medication without supervision of a doctor, she may have serious problems. The Nemours Foundation states that risks of opioid abuse include vomiting, decrease in cognitive function, coma and death. When a teenager abuses depressants, she may have seizures when she stops using the drugs suddenly, or have a slowed heartbeat and breathing when she uses another substance, such as alcohol. Stimulant abusers may experience heart failure, high body temperatures or seizures.
Preventing Prescription Drug Abuse
Parents can take certain steps to prevent prescription pill abuse. For example, the Partnership for a Drug-Free America recommends keeping prescription drugs hidden and talking to teenagers about the risks of prescription drug abuse. If their child has a prescription for one of these abused drugs, parents should monitor the number of pills the child has left, and make sure no one else uses them.
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