Why Prescription Drugs? There are two key factors driving prescription drug abuse among teens. First is the misperception that abusing medication is not harmful. Teens abuse prescription drugs for a number of reasons, to get high, to treat pain, or they think it will help them with school work. Secondly, teens abuse prescription drugs because they are easily accessible, and either free or inexpensive.

Which drugs are being abused? Opioids (such as the pain relievers OxyContin and Vicodin), central nervous system depressants (e.g., Xanax, Valium), and stimulants (e.g., Concerta, Adderall) are the most commonly abused prescription drugs. Some over-the-counter drugs can also be abused. DXM (dextromethorphan), the active cough suppressant found in many cough and cold medications, is one example. It is sometimes abused to get high, which requires taking large and potentially dangerous doses.

Parents Are Key in Preventing Medicine Abuse

One step is to have frequent conversations with the teens in our lives about the dangers of medicine abuse. Many prescription drugs can have dangerous effects on the brain and the body including dangerously high body temperatures, irregular heartbeat, and addiction. (Click here for more information.) Research now suggests that abuse of opiods may open the door to heroin abuse. Nearly half of young people who inject heroin surveyed in three recent studies reported abusing prescription opioids before starting to use heroin.