If you guessed that marijuana was the Number One drug most often abused by American teens, you’re right. But, what about the Number Two drug? You may be shocked to discover that it’s not cocaine, or heroin, or methamphetamines—instead, it’s the drugs found in the family medicine cabinet.
“Prescription drug abuse is a serious addiction issue for teens and adults,” said Alan Flory, ReDiscover President and CEO. “Parents need to be aware that some teens experiment with drugs by raiding the medicine cabinet at home, trying prescriptions that belong to other family members. And, people with addictions may also steal prescription medications—especially pain killers—from medicine cabinets outside their own homes, including from grandparents or neighbors or friends.”
According to the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, more teens abuse prescription drugs than any other illicit drug, except marijuana; more than cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine combined. Every day, 2,500 kids age 12 to17 abuse a prescription painkiller for the first time and more people are getting addicted to prescription drugs. Drug treatment admissions for prescription painkillers increased more than 300 percent from 1995 to 2005.
Some teens mistakenly believe that abusing prescription drugs is safer and less addictive than abusing street drugs.
“Teens need to know that prescription drug abuse is every bit as serious as street drug abuse,” said ReDiscover Counselor Angie Lewis. “Medications may be accessible in their own home, but prescription drugs are dangerous and can be lethal when taken by people who were not prescribed to take them.”
What are some of the most commonly abused prescription drugs?
Although many prescription drugs can be abused, The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that the three classes of prescription drugs that are most commonly abused are:
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Opioids, which are most often prescribed to treat pain;
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Central nervous system (CNS) depressants, which are used to treat anxiety and sleep disorders; and
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Stimulants, which are prescribed to treat the sleep disorder narcolepsy and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
“Drug abuse is still drug abuse whether people are using illegal street drugs or abusing prescription medications.“ Lewis said. “Never use someone else’s prescription or allow a friend to use your medications. It’s a serious health risk and it is also breaking the law.”
Flory added, “Parents can help protect kids from prescription drug abuse by making some changes at home. Think about what prescription and over-the-counter drugs you have. Where are medicines kept? Would you know if some medications were missing? It’s important to monitor and secure medications in any home. It’s also important to realize that not just teens are at risk—adults and older adults can develop prescription drug addictions.”
Help is available. If you suspect that someone you care about is experimenting with drugs or has a drug addiction, call ReDiscover’s Crisis & Access Line at 816-966-0900. ReDiscover is a local leader in drug prevention and drug recovery. ReDiscover is helping the community fight its drug problems by expanding its services to provide a new local program to help people in Lee’s Summit who have substance abuse issues. For more information, visit www.rediscovermh.org.
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