The Problem Of Drug Abuse

In the hectic pill-popping world we live in today, around 6.5 million people in the U.S. currently abuse prescription medication and out of those 6.5 million, 4.5 of those people abuse pain relievers according to Nova Science Publishers (Greer). Codeine, oxycodone, Adderall, and Xanax just to name a few of the favorites among abusers (Fahey and Miller). These medications can end up on the streets and in the hands of party-goers looking for a “good time”. Dangerous pills such as those listed above can be quite useful by people with authentic medical conditions such as anxiety and ADHD, but also have the power to be abused by teenage party goers that crave a

Similar considerations may help explain why several prescription opioids — such as hydromorphone, fentanyl, morphine, and oxycodone — have a potential for abuse that is similar to, and in some cases even higher than, the potential for abuse with heroin. Finally, these differential properties and effects are likely to interact with interindividual variability in powerful, complex, and incompletely predictable ways, so that some persons who abuse prescription opioids could find heroin less rewarding than prescription opioids, similarly rewarding, or even more rewarding

According to Hanson, Venturelli, and Fleckenstein (2015) opioids are described as the “nation’s fastest-growing drug problem” (p. 276) and are also known as narcotics. Opioids originated from the opium poppy and have been chemically altered throughout the years in order to create more potent drugs such as hydrocodone (e.g., Vicodin), oxycodone (e.g., OxyContin, Percocet), morphine (e.g., Kadian, Avinza), and codeine. Known for analgesic properties, opioids are seen to be the most commonly used drugs among clinicians. Although these narcotics are legally prescribed to patients, there are many, even adolescents, that not only abuse prescribed narcotics, but also abuse another form of opioid, heroin. In adolescence, the structures of the brain are not fully developed and are therefore more likely to acquire severe consequences for abusing opioids. There are many ways to use and administer narcotics, but misusing opioids may lead to signs and symptoms of drug abuse, annoying side effects, dependency, abuse, and in worse case situations, death.

The figure is startling: A 96.6 percent increase in drug-related deaths in a five-year period (Hanson, 2010). According to Brown University Pharmacology Update (2009), since the period of increases in opioid misuse in the 1990s, data over the last three-to-four years indicate a high, steady prevalence of opioid prescription misuse in the United States. According to the 2007 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, about 5.2 million people ages 12 and older were current nonmedical users of prescription pain relievers in 2006, comprising 2.1% of the population. This rate has remained statistically unchanged since 2002. Survey data from 2002 to 2005 found that 4.8% of persons ages 12 and older (11.4 million people) used a prescription pain reliever nonmedically in the 12 months prior to the survey. This data also indicated that an annual average of 57.7% of people who used prescription pain medication nonmedically in the past year used hydrocodone products, and 21.7% used oxycodone products. Recent male users were more likely to use hydrocodone products nonmedically compared to recent female users (61.4% compared to 54.9%). Young

Prescription drug abuse has become a major epidemic across the globe, shattering and affecting many lives of young teenagers. Many people think that prescription drugs are safer and less addictive than “street drugs.” After all, these are drugs that moms, dads, and even kids brothers and sisters use. The dangers are not easily seen, but the future of our youth will soon be in severe danger if the problem is not addressed,it will continue to get worse if action is not taken soon. Prescription drugs are only supposed to be consumed by patients who have been examined and have a medical report by a professional, more and more teens are turning to the family’s medicine cabinet to “get high” but what they are

Opioid exposure and use in the United States is increasing among adolescents. McCabe and associates (2017) specifically examine medical and non-medical opioid use among adolescents. Monitoring the Future study provided the data that was used. Forty cohorts of high school seniors ranging from 2181 to 3791 participants were administered in the form of paper-and-pencil questionnaires in the student’s classroom setting. Results demonstrated among adolescents that claimed to have use both medical and nonmedical consumption of prescribed opioids indicated that medical use of opioids began before nonmedical use. Prescribing patterns of physicians need to be examined to aid in alleviating medical use of opioids from progressing to nonmedical usage.

According to a federal official, the ongoing scourge of prescription-drug addiction is beginning to reach epidemic proportions, ballooning about 75 percent in the United States within the past five years (“Prescription-drug Abuse Escalates”). Prescription drugs have become extremely overused due to the pain killing aspects, along with a sort of “high” when they are being abused. This high has been something people chase and will do anything to get. A report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration indicated that there were more American adults using prescription painkillers than cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, or cigars combined (Ingraham). The over proliferation of prescription drugs has become a major problem with adults.

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

Prescription drug abuse has become an epidemic across the United States, destroying and affecting many lives of young Americans. Why do so many people abuse prescription drugs? Many think that prescription drugs are safer and less addictive than “street drugs.” After all, these are drugs that moms, dads, and even kid brothers and sisters use. The dangers are not easily seen, but the future of America’s youth will soon be in severe danger if the problem is not addressed. It will continue to get worse if action is not taken soon. Prescription drugs are only safe for the individuals who actually have prescriptions for them because a doctor has examined these people and prescribed the

Prescribed medication has become one of the top three leading drugs used and abused by teenagers in America. According to Elizabeth Larsen, “The Centers for Disease Control classifies prescription drug abuse as the worst drug epidemic in United States history” (Larsen p.4). This is the worst drug epidemic in history because of the percentage of teenage usage. Based on different studies, pills are the most commonly abused drug among twelve- and thirteen- year olds because of how easy they are to access. In fact, many teens that abuse prescription medication has admitted that they, even with a substance addiction, still receive prescriptions from their doctor. The teenage usage of prescription medication could be prevented with better

Parents enable drug abuse without realizing it. When adolescents use cocaine, heroin, marijuana, LSD, and other illicit drugs, it captures a parent’s attention. However, a problem more prevalent than the use of these illicit drugs, and hits closer to home is nonmedical use of prescription drugs (NMUPD). NUMPD occurs when a person without a prescription gains access to a prescription drug and uses it simply for the experience, or for the feeling the drug causes. Therefore the drugs in question end up being used for nonmedical purposes in a manner in which it was never intended. Opioids, used to treat pain, are the prescription drugs that youth are most likely to misuse. These are commonly used because they are available in medicine cabinets

Agoraphobia is a difficult mental illness to treat due to the fact that there is a small number of people have been diagnosed with it. According to the Mental Health First Aid USA (2013) roughly 0.9 American adults are diagnosed with agoraphobia and the median age for onset is twenty years old (p. 41). People who have agoraphobia have a higher risk of developing substance use disorders by using drugs or alcohol to help them cope with anxiety. In the twins’ case, they are heavy cigarette smokers and it has to be monitored how many packs of cigarettes they are given. From research, there are no reports of concerns with diversity, oppression, or populations-at-risk of individuals diagnosed with agoraphobia. However,

Teens are chugging cough medication for an instant high. What is so appealing to them about it is that is it cheap, legal, and accessible. They think it’s the safer way to get high and have ”fun”. However, it’s a lack of education that has landed many teens in this situation because they simply don’t know or understand what it could do to them (Joseph,2015). It is important that we reach out and make an effort to bridge this gap by educating parents and children. Most households contain some type of OTC Medication and any of those can be abused or misused. We need to address preventable incidences that exist in thousands of households through out America. It is something we need to start talking about or else we are going to face losing more and more young lives everyday (Gupta, 2015). A study was done on the perception of OTC Medication. The results of that study are truly astounding. The study found that individuals referred to these medications as “just over-the-counter” or “not real pain medication”. These individuals used this as a way to reduce the harm of OTC Medications, which, is wrong. The study stated, “Justifying one's use of OTC medication as minimal and “normal,” regardless of intake, avoids association with the addictive potential of prescription pain medications and aligns the identity of the chronic pain sufferer”. The culture that is present involving OTC

National studies show that a teenager is more likely to abuse a prescription drug than any other street illegal drug. Countless teenagers think that prescription drugs are safe only because they are given to them by a doctor, but taking them as a non-medical use for getting a high or to self-medicate can be as addictive and dangerous as taking street illegal drugs. (“Prescription Painkillers Abuse – Teen Drug Use & Abuse – Drug-Free World,” n.d.) There are multiple extreme health risks in taking painkillers, even though they should be taken under a doctor’s care they are not as closely monitored as they should be to avoid addiction and other health problems. (“Prescription Painkillers Abuse – Teen Drug Use & Abuse – Drug-Free World,” n.d.) The abuse of prescription drugs has been growing while there has been a decline in street drug abuse. 2.5 million Americans in 2007, abused prescription drugs, as opposed to 2.1 million who have tried marijuana once.(“Prescription Painkillers Abuse – Teen Drug Use & Abuse – Drug-Free World,” n.d.) Half of teens who abuse prescription

Drug addiction is one of society 's biggest problems and it is rampant among teenagers and young adults and one of the most abused drugs is marijuana. Cannabis sativa or marijuana usually grows throughout tropical and temperate climates and then plant 's stems, leaves, flowers, and seeds are then dried. What attracts to most users is the mind altering effect these parts produce which is addictive to some extent. It is usually smoked as cigarette, or in a pipe. It is also smoked in blunts, in which cigars will be emptied of tobacco and refill with marijuana or sometimes it is combined with another drug. It can also be brewed as tea or mixed in food. Hashis is a more concentrated, resinous form which is sticky black liquid, hash oil. The