Prescription Drugs

In 2001, of an estimated seven million current users of illicit drugs, nearly
2.1 percent of the population aged 12 years and older were currently using
prescription drugs for non-medical purposes. The National Household Survey
on Drug Abuse statistics indicate the sharpest increases in prescription
drug abuse occur among 12 to 17 year-olds.

Prescription drugs relieve suffering for millions of people, make complex
surgery possible and enable individuals with chronic medical conditions
to control their symptoms and lead productive lives. These drugs prescribed
by healthcare professionals can help patients manage severe pain, restore
emotional or behavioral imbalance, control sleep disorders or fight obesity.
Responsible prescription use includes following the advice of a doctor
or pharmacist, learning about possible side effects and understanding the
potential interactions one medication may have with another.

Addiction rarely occurs when prescription drugs are used properly. The
non-medical use of prescription drugs is a serious public health concern
and can lead to abuse, addiction and death. The most commonly abused drugs
are opiods given for pain management, depressants used to treat anxiety
or sleep disorders and stimulants prescribed to treat narcolepsy and attention
deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

Facts

  • Causes overdose and dangerous poly-drug interactions
  • Incites users to commit prescription fraud and/or burglary of pharmacies
    across the U.S.
  • Also known as:
    • painkillers such as Oxycontin (oxy, ox, oc, oxycotton) and Demerol
    • tranquilizers like Valium, Xanax and Diazepam
    • ADHD and sleep disorder medicines such as Dexedrine and Ritalin
    • cold and flu medications
  • “Pharming” is the term used by some youth to describe the
    act of taking several prescription pills at once, to see what happens
    when they interact.
  • Seen with/in blister packs, prescription pill bottles and syringes
  • Danger signs include prescriptions at multiple pharmacies and an excessive
    number of bottles in medicine cabinet or around the home
  • Found in the medicine cabinet and local drug store, abused by more
    than 3 million 12 to 17 year olds in 2001 because of their availability