Non Prescribed Prescription Drug Use By Adolescents

Years ago, the common image of an adolescent drug abuser was a teen trying to escape from reality on illegal substances like cocaine, heroin, or marijuana. Today, there is a great discrepancy between that perception and the reality of who is likely to abuse drugs. A teenage drug abuser might not have to look any further than his or her parent’s medicine chest to ‘score.’ Prescription drug abuse by teens is on the rise. Also, teens are looking to prescription drugs to fulfill different needs other than to feel good or escape the pressures of adulthood. Teens may be just as likely to resort to drugs with ‘speedy’ side effects, like Ritalin to help them study longer, as they are to use prescription

According to Columbia Casa and University of Minnesota (2015), students are facing the demands of coursework, part-time jobs, internships, social obligations and more, many turn to drugs as a way to cope.  More students than ever are taking stimulants, such as Adderall, for example to help students stay awake long enough to study or complete assignments on time. All too often, these prescription drugs are obtained without a legitimate prescription or with legitimate prescription and are selling to friends and others. Students are now exploring many new aspects of their lives and wonder what could come their way. It’s not uncommon for that self-exploration to dip into drug experimentation. Students who are surround themselves with other experimenters that are trying recreational and performance-enhancer drugs are more likely to try these substances for themselves. These habits lead to a drop in a college students academic grade and has been proven to do so. (Addiction Center 2015) According to National Institute on Drug Abuse Young Adults ranging in age 18-25, the abuse of prescription drugs is second only to abuse of

Drugs can result in teens not doing well in school, which can lead to lower academic opportunities and career options.

A drug is a substance that alters the mind, body or both. Drug use is an increasing problem among teenagers in colleges today. Most drug use begins in the preteen and teenage years, the years most crucial in the maturation process (Shiromoto 5). During these years adolescents are faced with difficult tasks of discovering their self identity, clarifying their sexual roles, assenting independence, learning to cope with authority and searching for goals that would give their lives meaning. Drugs are readily available, adolescents are curious and venerable, and there is peer pressure to experiment, and there is a temptation to escape from conflicts. The use of drugs by teenagers is the result of a combination of factors such as peer

Prescription drug abuse is a problem that is not just focused on adults. There has been a substantial rise in prescription drug abuse among teenagers. Teens are abusing prescription drugs for a number of reasons, including to get high, pain treatment, and/or because they think that it will assist them with school work (Coalition against Drug Abuse, 2014). However boys and girls tend to abuse some types of prescription drugs for different reasons. For example, boys are more likely to abuse prescription stimulants to get high, where girls would abuse them to stay alert to study or for weight loss.

Teens are highly affected by drugs around the world but training has begun to stop it. Along with brain damage and lung damage. Countless teens around the world use drugs for social advantages.The United States represents 5% of the world's population and 75% of prescription drugs taken. 60% of teens who abuse prescription drugs get them free from friends and relatives. Doctors are already trained to find ways to help.If teens smoke too much it can cause them to die or overdose.

Drug abuse in America is at an all time high across the country. Most people start out with a legit medical issue that leads to a prescription for pain, anxiety, stress, or even trouble concentrating. After repeated prescriptions, the body tends to get use to the medicine, with then leaves the body craving more. In fact, prescription drug abuse is the highest drugs abused my both men and women. Research shows that young adults ages 18 to 25 are the prime abusers of prescription drugs, ADHD drugs as well as anti-anxiety drugs. There several reason why this age group abuse these types of drugs. The reasons include getting high, to feel good, better study habits, stress, and weight loss.

Recreational use of prescription drugs amongst high school teens has been a continuous discussion within the public health community due to its severity. High school teens that involve themselves with prescription drugs abuse are susceptible to both short-term effects and long-term effects. According to the article, Opioids Complications and Side Effects, “Common side effects of opioid administration include sedation, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, constipation, physical dependence, tolerance, and respiratory depression” (Benyamin et al. 2008). Because a medical professional prescribes prescriptions drugs, many teens think it is okay to consume the medication (cite, here). The teens that partake in this dangerous activity do not understand that

Valdez, A. (2014). Rx for injury: Adolescent Prescription Drug Misuse. Journal of Emergency Nursing, 40(5), 497-9. doi:http://dx.doi.org.proxy-kutztown.klnpa.org/10.1016/j.jen.2014.05.011

Have you ever heard these words –hillbilly H, a-minus, red birds, Vitamin R, and roses? There is no question that we have heard some of these words. Yet, what is unexpected is they are all code words used by teens for prescription drugs (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2016). Prescription drug abuse among teens has rapidly increased, and has become a public health concern. (Milner, Ham, & Zamboanga, 2014.) With many other issues going on in today’s world; there is a need to provide technological interventions to decrease the incidence of this issue. Prescription drug monitoring systems should be used to help with screening and monitoring patients who are prescribed high-risk medications. With the implementation of any new improvement plan, there are barriers and ways to overcome them. Primary care physicians struggle to screen and monitor adolescents that are at high-risk for prescription drug abuse, and implementing a system can help decrease abuse rates.

Among adolescents aged 12 to 17 years, 9.8 % are estimated to be current users of illicit drugs, with 4.9 % using drugs other than marijuana. Nearly three quarters of students have started to drink alcohol and nearly half (47%) have tried using an illicit drug (not including alcohol or tobacco) by the senior year of high school.” (Hassan, Harris, Sherritt, Van Hook, & Brooks, 2009)

Teens are consequently affected by prescription medication due to its influence amongst teens and like many other drugs it’s commonly used for profitable reasons, which could lead to prison time for several years. Non- medical use of prescription drugs amongst teens are alarmingly high, parents and their teens are often blindsided by the illegal risk that come from misusing prescription drugs along with any other drug for that matter. According to “U.S War On Drugs” Statistics have shown that OxyContin is legally classified as a narcotic, or if use of Vicodin it’s classified as an opioid as in heroin, which means these drugs could lead up to years of punishment in prison along with over $1,000 dollar fine. According to the “National Institute

Drug use is an increasing problem among teenagers in today's high schools. Most drug use begins in the teenage years, these years are the most crucial in the maturing process. During these years adolescents are faced with the difficult tasks of discovering their self identity, clarifying their sexual roles, assenting independence, learning to cope with authority figures and searching for goals that would give their lives meaning. Drugs are readily available, adolescents are curious and venerable, and there is peer pressure to experiment, and there is a temptation to escape from conflicts. The use of drugs by teenagers is the result of a combination of factors such as peer pressure, curiosity, and

It has been discovered that most people who struggle with drug addiction began experimenting with drugs in their teens. Teenage drug abuse is one of the largest problems in society today and the problem grows and larger every year. Drugs are a pervasive force in our culture today. To expect kids not to be influenced by the culture of their time is as unrealistic as believing in the tooth fairy (Bauman 140). Teens may feel pressured by their friends to try drugs, they may have easy access to drugs, they may use drugs to rebel against their family or society, or they may take an illegal drug because they are curious about it or the pleasure that it gives them.

Did you know that the teen Drug and Alcohol abuse rate have increased over the past 10 years? 1 out of every 10 teens use non prescribed prescription drugs. Teens are abusing drugs and using them as relief outlets. They often start using the drugs under peer pressure, to cope with a problem or to cope with depression. People can find different ways to cope and quit their addictive habits and find something different to do. You become 5% more likely to become addicted in adulthood. Studies have shown that you are 3% more likely to self harm. Drug abuse under ages of 18 can permanently affect and change your brain. It can cause you to be delusional and can’t remember what happened when you were under the influence. It causes you to do poorly in school , diminishes good performance and can keep you from being employed. It can also cost you your life if you are driving under the influences. Studies have shown that 467,000 kids ages 12-17 have used the drugs for nonmedical purposes and 168,000 claim to be addicted. (http://www.projectknow.com/research/fentanyl-and-teens/ )