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Prescription Drug Abuse on the Rise

Move over cocaine and heroin! Prescription drugs have taken over as the number two source of drug abuse in the United States, surpassed only by marijuana abuse. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), approximately 20 percent of the U.S. population or 48 million people (ages 12 and over) admit to using prescription drugs for nonmedical reasons in their lifetime. Opiods, central nervous system Depressants, and Stimulants are the most commonly abused prescription medications.

Opiods are prescribed to treat pain. They include hydrocodone (commonly known as Vicodin, Lortab and Lorcet), oxycodone (OxyContin, Percodan, Percocet), oxymorphone (Opana), propoxyphene (Darvon), hydromorphone (Dilaudid), meperidine (Demerol) and diphenoxylate (Lomotil). According to the 2010 "Monitoring the Future Study" conducted at the University of Michigan, 2.7% of 8th graders, 7.7% of 10th graders, and 8.0% of 12th graders had abused Vicodin and 2.1% of 8th graders, 4.6% of 10th graders, and 5.1% of 12th graders had abused OxyContin at least once in the year prior to being surveyed.

Central Nervous System Depressants (also known as tranquilizers and sedatives) are used to treat anxiety and sleep disorders. They include barbiturates such as pentobarbital sodium (Nembutal) and mephobarbital (Mebaral) used to treat anxiety, tension and sleep disorders. Also included are benzodiazepines such as diazepam (Valium), chlordiazepoxide HCl (Librium) and alprazolam (Xanax) which are prescribed for anxiety, acute stress reactions, and panic attacks. The more sedating benzos, such as triazolam (Halcion) and estazolam (ProSom) are used for short-term treatment of sleep disorder.

Stimulants historically were used to treat many disorders, but due to their addictive nature are currently prescribed for only a few health conditions such as narcolepsy, ADHD, and depression that has not responded to other medications. They include dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine and Adderall) and methylphenidate (Ritalin and Concerta).

Experts do not know why the non-medical use of prescription drugs is increasing so dramatically, but the availability of the drugs is a likely reason. With the increase in prescriptions written for a variety of health problems and online pharmacies making it easier to get drugs without a prescription, the increase in abuse logically follows. Many people also believe they are safer than street drugs, that they are not addictive, and there is less shame associated with taking prescription drugs than using drugs like heroin or cocaine. Prescription drugs are as close as a family member's medicine cabinet, contributing to an increasing number of youth stealing prescription medications and ingesting or selling them. "Pharm" parties are becoming increasingly popular, in which youth steal a few pills from each prescription in their home and take them to a party location. All pills are combined into a bowl, and the participants ingest multiple pills without knowing what they are taking and not considering how they may interact with each other.

Another disturbing trend is the abuse of Adderall in today's college students. Legally prescribed for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Adderall, when initially used, creates the ability to stay up all night yet perform with great proficiency. Students admit that their grades greatly improve when using Adderall. Unfortunately, the long-term effects of this powerful combination of four time-released amphetamines can alter brain function enough to depress mood and boost anxiety. Young brains are especially vulnerable because they are not fully developed until the mid-20s. Adderall abuse can permanently alter the brain, and a growing number of youth suicides are being traced to Adderall abuse.

Statistics show that when a parent engages in open and honest dialog with their kids about drugs on a regular basis, the child/youth is 52% less likely to use drugs (Kentucky Justice & Public Safety Cabinet). Parents whose children begin to show signs of behavioral changes, especially depression or anxiety, should act immediately. Also, prescription drugs should be monitored (the number of pills counted in each bottle), locked up, and when expired, should be properly discarded (expired drugs are subject to chemical alteration, some of which is dangerous).