Director of National Drug Control Policy John P. Walters released a new White House analysis that shows alarming trends in teen abuse of prescription drugs and cough and cold medicines to get high.
The report shows that teens are turning away from street drugs, like marijuana and cocaine, and are now abusing prescription drugs to get high.
New users of prescription drugs have now caught up with new users of marijuana. Prescription drugs are now the second most commonly used illegal drug by teens to get high, behind marijuana. The report, “Teens and Prescription Drugs: An Analysis of Recent Trends on the Emerging Drug Threat,” released today by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), also shows that the majority of teens, who use these products, are getting them easily and for free.
“Parents need to know that teens are turning away from street drugs and increasingly abusing prescription drugs to get high. They should also be aware that suppliers of these drugs might not be sinister characters on the street corner, but are more likely close friends or relatives,” said Director Walters. “Too many young people see popping pills as a painless high.”
Although illicit drug use among teens has dropped by 23 percent over the last five years, ONDCP and other experts warned parents at a press conference this morning in New York City that teens are intentionally abusing prescription drugs to get high, wrongly believing that they are safer than street drugs. In addition, teens are getting prescription drugs for free and have easy access to them – taking them from friends or relatives without their knowledge.
The report also shows the following trends:
New abusers of prescription drugs have caught up with new users of marijuana;
Pain relievers, such as OxyContin and Vicodin, are the most commonly abused prescription drugs by teens;
One third of all new abusers of prescription drugs in 2005 were 12-17-year olds;
Prescription drugs are the drug of choice among 12- and 13-year olds;
Girls are more likely than boys to intentionally abuse prescription drugs to get high;
The majority of teens (57%), who use these products, say they get prescription drugs for free from a relative or friend (47%), or take them from a relative or friend (10%), without asking. An additional 10 percent buy pain relievers from a friend or relative; and
Adolescents are more likely than young adults to become dependent on prescription medication.