Prescription Drug Abuse FAQ

The Facts:

• What is prescription drug misuse or abuse exactly?

  Prescription drug abuse or misuse is:

  • Taking a prescription drug without a prescription.
  • Taking a prescription drug that was prescribed for someone else.
  • Taking a prescription drug at a higher dose, or more often than prescribed.
  • Using a prescription drug long after the original health problem has passed.
  • Trying to self-medicate for a condition that hasn’t been diagnosed by a doctor.
  • Taking a prescription drug for a purpose other than it’s intended for – such as
  • Crushing or modifying prescription drugs to enhance their effects.
• Is prescription drug abuse really a big problem among teens?

  Unfortunately, yes, and it’s a growing problem.

  Prescription drug abuse rates vary among schools and communities. However, according to a 2013 study by The Partnership for Drug-Free Kids, one in four teens – 24 percent — admits to misusing or abusing a prescription drug at least once. That’s a 33 percent increase in the past five years.

  Among teens who report abusing prescription drugs, about one in five started before the age of 14.

  Addiction is a major problem, too. One in five teens admitted to drug treatment centers sought treatment for prescription drug abuse.

• Which prescription drugs do teens misuse or abuse most often?

  Only a few types of prescription drugs pose a threat for misuse and abuse.

  In general, these prescription drugs produce some sort of mood-altering effect or high when abused. In most cases, the use and prescription of these drugs is tightly regulated and controlled for this very reason. Physicians and pharmacies dispensing these drugs must follow strict rules and regulations.

  The most potentially troublesome prescription drugs include:

  Opioid painkillers

  Opioid painkillers are tightly controlled prescription drugs used to relieve pain after an injury or surgery, or to manage certain types of chronic pain.

  Examples of opioid painkillers include:

  • Vicodin® (hydrocodone)
  • OxyContin® (oxycodone)
  • Opana® (oxymorphone)
  • Darvon® (propoxyphene)
  • Dilaudid®) (hydromorphone)
  • Demerol® (meperidine)
  • Lomotil® (diphenoxylate)

  When used under a physician’s care, opioid painkillers can be highly effective, beneficial, and reasonably safe to use.

  However, opioid painkillers do carry the risk of addiction and dependency, and can be very dangerous when mixed with alcohol and other drugs.

  In addition, overdoses can suppress breathing and lead to coma and/or death.

  Opioid painkillers are the riskiest, most dangerous prescription drugs to use without management and supervision.

  Depressants

  Physicians prescribe depressants, also known as sedatives or tranquilizers, to patients who suffer from anxiety, panic disorders, sleep disruptions, and emotional problems arising from trauma, family crises, or similar stressful situations.

  Examples of depressants include:

  • Valium® (diazepam)
  • Xanax ® (alprazolam)
  • Klonopin® (clonazepam)
  • Ativan (lorazepam)

  Depressants have a high potential for dependency and addiction. Depressant overdoses slow the heart down and may lead to coma or even death. They are especially dangerous when mixed with alcohol and other drugs, both prescription and illegal “street” drugs.

  Stimulants

  Stimulants are controlled prescription drugs used to effectively manage ADHD, chronic sleep disorders, and other conditions. They generally increase energy, alertness, attention, heart and breathing rates, and blood pressure.

  Examples of stimulants include:

  • Dexedrine® (dextroamphetamine)
  • Ritalin® and Concerta® (methylphenidate)
  • Adderall® (amphetamine and dextroamphetamine)

  Students who abuse stimulants believe these prescription drugs will make them perform better in school, for example, at exam time or when taking the SATs/ACTs.

  Unfortunately, many parents believe this, too, even for teens who have not been diagnosed with attention or learning issues. Currently, there is a vigorous debate about the ethics and safety of using stimulants in an effort to improve test scores or school performance, given the known risks of taking a controlled substance without a prescription or medical supervision.

  When used without medical supervision, or in inappropriate doses, stimulants can cause severe anxiety, paranoia, irregular heartbeat, and elevated body temperature.

• Which prescription drugs are the most dangerous when abused?

  Opioid painkillers present the greatest threat from abuse.

  Drugs such as:

  • Vicodin® (hydrocodone)
  • OxyContin® (oxycodone)
  • Opana® (oxymorphone)
  • Darvon® (propoxyphene)
  • Dilaudid®) (hydromorphone)
  • Demerol® (meperidine)
  • Lomotil® (diphenoxylate)

  Opioid painkillers have the highest potential for addiction. Overdoses can be lethal. They can be especially dangerous when combined with alcohol or other drugs.

  What’s more, with continued use, people who take opioid painkillers can develop a tolerance to these drugs, so that higher and higher doses are needed to create the desired effect. Because opioid painkillers can be expensive, people who abuse these drugs often switch to illegal “street” drugs to get the same high.

  It’s a disturbing, dangerous, and growing trend – prescription drug abuse escalating to heroin addiction.

• Why do teens seek out prescription drugs?

  In most cases, it’s not the same reason as illicit drugs: Abusing prescription drugs is not so much about rebellion, or escape, or fitting in with peers.

  Studies suggest that teens who abuse prescription drugs are usually trying to self-medicate, meaning that they are looking to relieve pain or anxiety, deal with depression, or remain more alert and focused.

  For example, a teen concerned about his or her weight may hear that a certain prescription drug suppresses appetite, and decide to try the drug to lose weight.

  In many ways, teens are simply reflecting what they see around them, in the media, at home, and among their peers.

  It’s easy for teens to see using prescription drugs as perfectly normal and routine: “If you have this condition, take this drug.” There’s little stigma, and less perceived danger, compared to illegal “street” drugs.

  That idea is simplistic and wrong, of course, but it may be how many teens perceive using prescription drugs.

  What’s missing is the notion of medical supervision, which is what allows prescription drugs to be used safely, appropriately, and to best advantage for health issues. The very reason such drugs require a prescription is because a physician’s judgment and management is necessary to determine how and when the drugs should be used.

• Are prescription drugs safer than illegal “street” drugs?

  No.

  Many teens – and sometimes even adults — believe that prescription drugs are less hazardous than illicit “street” drugs.

  Many teens and adults may think prescription drugs are safe because:

  • Prescription drugs are developed by scientists, prescribed by physicians, and dispensed by pharmacists.
  • Many people of all ages take prescription drugs to effectively and safely manage a wide variety of health conditions.
  • Taking prescription drugs is legal.

  However, the fact is that prescription drugs require a physician’s evaluation and supervision for a reason: These are powerful and potent substances that can pose risks when used in the wrong way, at the wrong time, or in the wrong doses.

  When prescribing a medication, a physician takes into account factors such as the patient’s age, weight, medical history, and the severity of the condition – as well as other medications the patient may be taking. The physician also makes decisions about dosage based on established guidelines, professional judgment, and firsthand experience.

  Without this careful evaluation by a physician, using prescription drugs can be hazardous and cause severe problems. Trying to self-medicate is dangerous.

  In fact, there are actually more fatal overdoses each year from abused prescription drugs than from heroin and cocaine combined.

• How do teens obtain prescription drugs?

  In a recent survey, students reported that prescription drugs like Vicodin® are often easier to obtain than illicit “street” drugs.

  The majority of teens who abuse prescription drugs get them from home and from friends. At first.

  For example, a family member is prescribed a painkiller after surgery and a teen simply takes the tablets left in the medicine cabinet. Or a teen may take a few pills from a sibling’s ADHD prescription bottle.

  Teens may also freely share prescription drugs with friends – whether they obtained the drug from home, or from their own legitimate prescriptions.

  In many highly competitive high schools, stimulants such as Adderall and other amphetamines are in high demand during exam times, or during ACT/SAT season, in the belief that the drugs help teens do better in school. Teens with legitimate prescriptions for stimulants may divert pills to their friends who do not have a prescription. In fact, one in four kids with a prescription for a medication to treat ADHD have been approached to divert their medication.

  It’s important to remember that it’s illegal to take a prescription drug without a prescription. It’s also illegal to share or sell prescription drugs to someone else.

  If a teen becomes addicted or dependent on a drug, he or she may look for a more regular supply source. The teen may fake or exaggerate symptoms or ailments in the hope of getting a physician to prescribe the drug, or may try to obtain prescription drugs through so-called “Internet pharmacies,” usually located outside the US. Often, Internet pharmacies are willing to ship medications — especially those in high demand — without a prescription at all. A teen would simply need a credit card number.

  For additional information about the dangers of Internet pharmacies, click here

• What are the dangers of misusing or abusing prescription drugs?

  As powerful and effective as today’s prescription drugs are, they can be hazardous when taken without a physician’s supervision or when used improperly.

  The risks of prescription drug misuse or abuse include:

  • Addiction and dependence, especially when a prescription drug is taken for too long, too frequently, or in higher doses than prescribed.
  • Health and medical problems, from drug interactions, allergic reactions and sensitivities, side effects, or complications with existing medical conditions.
  • Risky behavior and personality changes, such as unusual aggression, lack of responsibility and discipline, thrill-seeking, or run-ins with authority.
  • Overdoses, which may lead to coma or even death.
  • Trouble with the law, including fines, jail time, and a criminal record because sharing prescription drugs with others and taking prescription drugs without a prescription is illegal. Even possessing a controlled substance, such as painkillers, depressants, and stimulants, without a legitimate prescription is against the law. Selling prescription drugs to others is even worse.
  • Escalation to illegal “street” drugs, such as heroin, may occur because prescription medications can be expensive. Heroin is cheaper and provides the same high as prescription painkillers, which has resulted in a disturbing trend of prescription drug abusers escalating to heroin addiction.
• How can you tell if a student is misusing or abusing prescription drugs?

  Much depends on which prescription drug the student may be abusing, for how long, and how often. Note that the symptoms of prescription drug abuse are often similar to symptoms of illicit “street” drug abuse – there is no sure way to tell if a prescription drug is at fault without blood, urine, or other laboratory tests.

  Physical and behavioral signs of prescription drug abuse may include:

  • Abnormal drowsiness.
  • Unusual agitation, restlessness, or disturbed sleep.
  • Rapid pulse, rapid breathing, and sweating for no obvious reason.
  • Inability to concentrate or focus.
  • Abrupt changes in personality or manner.
  • Secretive or evasive behavior.
  • Unexplained disappearance of prescription drugs from the home, especially painkillers and tranquilizers.
  • Sudden changes in performance at school or sports.
  • Unusual irritability, aggression.

  When in doubt, it’s always best to err on the side of caution. Seek medical advice if you see such symptoms in a student.

  Additional information and resources:

  • http://teens.drugabuse.gov/drug-facts/prescription-drugs
  • http://www.drug-free.org
  • http://www.rxsafetymatters.org/families-and-communities/facts-and-figures/