The most rapidly increasing drug issue in the United States isn’t cocaine, heroin, or methamphetamines—it is prescription medication, and it is having a significant impact on teenagers’ lives.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) DrugFacts, the misuse and abuse of prescription drugs occur when a person takes medication in an improper manner, such as without a valid prescription.
Unfortunately, prescription drug misuse and abuse among young individuals is a significant concern.
Data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) indicate that in 2014, over 5,700 youth reported using prescription pain relievers for the first time without a doctor’s supervision.
Many people mistakenly believe that prescription drugs are safer or less harmful than other types of drugs.
However, misusing prescription medications can lead to various short- and long-term health effects, depending on the type of drug:
- Stimulants can cause side effects similar to those of cocaine, including paranoia, dangerously high body temperature, and an irregular heartbeat. These risks are especially high when stimulants are taken in large doses or through methods other than swallowing a pill.
- Opioids, which affect the same areas of the brain as heroin, may lead to drowsiness, nausea, constipation, and, depending on the dosage, slowed breathing.
- Depressants may lead to slurred speech, shallow breathing, exhaustion, confusion, impaired coordination, and seizures when withdrawn after long-term use.
These effects can be especially damaging to an adolescent’s developing brain and body.
Brain development continues into the early-to-mid-twenties, with adolescence being a crucial period for growth.
During this time, the prefrontal cortex matures, allowing for better priority setting, strategic thinking, attention control, and impulse regulation.
Additionally, the brain’s outer layer undergoes rapid development, enhancing the ability to process abstract concepts and understand societal rules and norms.
Drug use can interfere with perception—a critical skill that adolescent brains are actively refining—and disrupt the formation of neural connections.
Furthermore, as the brain becomes hardwired during this stage, the neural pathways that are reinforced tend to persist.
If addiction becomes part of this wiring, it can lead to long-term difficulties.
Like any mind-altering substance, misusing or abusing prescription drugs can impair judgment and lower inhibitions, increasing the likelihood that adolescents may contract HIV or other sexually transmitted infections, use other substances, or participate in other risky behaviors.
Solutions
Here are some effective strategies to reduce prescription drug misuse and abuse among young individuals:
- Education: A quarter of teenagers think that prescription drugs can help with studying, and nearly one-third of parents believe that ADHD medication can enhance a child’s academic or test performance, even if the child does not have ADHD. It is essential to educate parents, students, and healthcare providers about the effects of prescription drugs on the developing brain.
- Safe medication storage and disposal: According to the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids, two-thirds of teens who misused pain relievers in the past year reported obtaining them from family, friends, or their home’s medicine cabinets. This highlights the importance of securing medications at home. Proper storage and disposal of medications help reduce unauthorized access and misuse.
- Prescription drug monitoring: There is growing demand for doctors and pharmacies to improve their monitoring of how frequently medications are prescribed. Compared to a decade ago, doctors are more likely to prescribe painkillers, and some reports suggest that pharmacists do not consistently review prescription drug registries, which are essential for detecting possible over-prescription and misuse.
Furthermore, raising awareness among adolescents and their parents about the dangers of drug misuse and abuse can help address the issue.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), developed the website “NIDA for Teens: The Science Behind Drug Abuse” to educate teens, parents, and teachers on the scientific aspects of prescription drug misuse and abuse.
Designed with input from teens to ensure its relevance, NIDA scientists created the site to provide science-based information on how drugs impact the brain and body, empowering young people with the knowledge needed to make informed and healthy choices.