Prescription Abuse Effects

According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 6.2 million people over the age of 12 in the United States abused some form of psychotherapeutic prescription drug the month before the survey in 2007. The non-medical users of the prescription opiate OxyContin alone were estimated to be as high as 478,000 in 2008. Although prescription medications may feel safer because they are approved for medical use, the abuse of prescription medications can still be dangerous and, in some cases, deadly.

Barbiturates

One of the first sources of prescription abuse are the barbituates. Barbiturates are legally used for seizure disorders and anxiety, and include phenobarbital, pentobarbital and secobarbital. When abused in small amounts, barbiturates can cause severe drowsiness and intoxication. This can result in accidents in the home, workplace or while driving a car or other machinery. There is a high risk of overdose with barbiturates, which can depress the nervous system to a point that the person can no longer breathe on his own, causing death. With the introduction of benzodizapines, which create the same effects as barbiturates with less risk, barbiturate abuse has declined significantly.

Benzodiazapines

Benzodiazapines are a commonly abused prescription medication. Benzodiazapines are tranquilizers that are often used to treat anxiety and insomnia and are sometimes used as an anesthetic before medical procedures. Benzodiazapines include two of the most widely abused prescriptions, Valium and Xanax. Rarely do benzodiazapines cause death on their own, but when combined with other central nervous system medications or alcohol, they can cause the nervous system to stop functioning, resulting in death. The withdrawal symptoms from benzodiazapines can also be life threatening, including symptoms such as seizures. One specific benzodiazapine named flunitrazepam (also known as Rohypnol) can cause temporary muscle paralysis, drowsiness and amnesia, which is why the drug is often used and referred to as the "date rape drug."

Opiates

Opiate medications that are commonly used for killing pain after surgery are the most widely abused prescription medication. In fact, the prescription abuse of opiates such as OxyContin and Vicodin among only youth between the ages of 12 and 25 grew from 400,000 in the 1980s, to over 2 million in the year 2000, according to the National Institutes of Health. The abuse of prescription opiates has the same effects as the abuse of heroin. Effects can include drowsiness, respiratory depression, constipation and the risk of death from an overdose. Withdrawal from prescription opiates is also dangerous with symptoms including vomiting, diarrhea and bone pain.

Stimulants

Stimulant medications are also commonly abused throughout the United States. Prescription abuse of stimulants includes amphetamines (Dexedrine and Adderall) and methylphenidate (Ritalin and Concerta). The abuse of prescription stimulants can block blood vessels, speed up the heartbeat to unhealthy levels, raise body temperature and put the user at serious risk of seizures or heart failure and even death. Stimulants can also cause feelings of anxiety and severe paranoia.

Legal Effects

The use of any prescription medication other than for what it is intended for can result in serious legal consequences. With the rising popularity of drugs such as OxyContin on the streets, many have turned to dealing prescription medications to both fuel their habit and make money. Police officers and DEA agents around the nation bust prescription dealers every day for these behaviors, and many states have mandatory jail time for dealing prescription medications. The effects of addiction to these medications may also push people to crime, ranging from theft to murder, in order to fuel their addiction. This can also lead to jail time if caught.