Teenagers abuse many forms of prescription drugs in an effort to get high, fit in, lose weight, increase academic performance and improve their athletic abilities. A study released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that in 2009, 20 percent of high school students in the United States had at some time abused prescription medication.
Basics
Teens remove prescription medications from their parents' medicine cabinets or buy the drugs illegally via the Internet. They often sell these drugs to other teens, abuse them themselves or provide them for peer groups or at parties.
Use
Parties in which prescription drugs are abused are often termed pharm parties, at which bowls or bags contain a plethora of random pills and are labeled trail mix, according to USA Today.
Teens also mix prescription medication abuse with alcohol. Mixing drugs with drugs or drugs with alcohol can be dangerous combinations. Mixing prescription drugs with other prescription medications can lead to addiction, the use of more addictive drugs, poor judgment, academic failure, relationship problems, mental health disorders and overdose.
Considerations
Abuse of prescription drugs is as common among teenagers as illicit drug abuse and has continued to rise, notes the Teen Drug Abuse website. Teens abuse prescription medications for several reasons: They are generally easily accessible, the teens feel that prescription medications are less risky than other drugs, and their knowledge on the risks associated with mixing prescription drugs for use is limited, reports MayoClinic.com.
Types
According to the Office of the National Drug Control Policy, there are three classes of prescription drugs commonly abused by teens: opioids, central nervous system depressants and stimulants. Some of the specific drugs include but are not limited to codeine, oxycodone, morphine, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, dextroamphetamine and methylphenidate, according to the Office of the National Drug Control Policy.
Prevention
Preventing the use of prescription pills among teens is extremely important. Teens should be informed about the dangers of drug abuse at home and in school. Parents and relatives of teens should keep track of their prescription medications and keep them in a place that cannot be accessed by teenagers, suggests MayoClinic.com. When parents have leftover prescription medication, they should properly dispose of it by mixing it in an unlabeled container with kitty litter or another undesirable substance and then throwing it in the trash, suggests MayoClinic.com.
Also, parents should be aware of their teen's friends, as well as her behaviors and her whereabouts. The abuse of mixed prescription medications is not limited to parties. These drugs are easily and privately consumed at school, after school, at friend's houses and even in the presence of the teen's parents. Abuse of prescription pills can be subtle. Parents should also ensure that their teen is not buying prescription pills via the Internet, and monitor online activity.
References
- USA Today: Prescription Drugs Find Place in Teen Culture
- Mayo Clinic: Prescription Drug Abuse
- Teen Drug Abuse: Teenage Prescription Drug Abuse
- Office of the National Drug Control Policy: Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention
- CDC: CDC Survey Finds that 1 in 5 U.S. High School Students Have Abused Prescription Drugs
Member Comments