Prescription Drug Abuse in Teenagers Essay - 2188 Words

Prescription Drug Abuse in Teenagers Christina King COM 220 May 19, 2010 Rosario Rivera-Reyes Although prescription drugs are not harmful if used correctly, prescription drug abuse is high in teenagers. Most parents would never think their teenagers are helping themselves to prescription medicine sitting on ones counter. The truth is, prescription drug abuse in teenagers has become very common nowadays. The drugs are easily accessible at home, or cheap to buy at school. They are highly addictive and can†¦show more content†¦Reported prescription drug abuse by high school seniors in 2005 Parenting Teens (2005). According to Freedman (2006), an 18-year-old who lives in San Francisco believes as long as the prescription medication is taken properly, it is much safer than any street drug. â€Å"According to the findings of the Partnership for a Drug-Free America study, forty percent said prescription were much safer than illegal drugs; while 31 percent said that there was nothing wrong with using prescription drugs once in a while† (â€Å"Prescription-Drug Use by Teens,† (2006), para. 1). Teenagers think that because a medication has a prescription for an individual, it makes it safe for everyone. Several factors are involved in prescribing certain medications such as medical conditions, age, other prescriptions on may be taking and the diagnosis of the individual. Most teenagers do not consider these factors when helping themselves to medications prescribed to someone else. Prescription drugs are easy for a teenager to acquire either from their doctor s or from their own medicine cabinets. Most parents are not aware of the risks involved in leaving a bottle of prescription medication lying on the counter for everyone to have access. It will start with taking one or two at a time and then the teenager ultimately proceeds to steeling the entire bottle, buying theShow MoreRelatedDrug Abuse And Addiction Among Teenagers1704 Words   |  7 PagesStudies have shown that prescription drug abuse and addiction among teenagers is on a steady incline. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, â€Å"prescription drug abuse is the use of a medication without a prescription, in a way other than as prescribed, of for the experience or feelings elicited.† This is a pervasive problem that is in fact consuming the lives of many teens, primarily because prescription drugs are easily accessible in their environment. There are several interpersonalRead MoreTeen Abuse Prescription Drug Abuse1422 Words   |  6 Pagesleading drugs used and abused by teenagers in America. According to Elizabeth Larsen, â€Å"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 medicationRead MoreEssay Perscription Drug Abuse among Teenagers1064 Words   |  5 PagesPrescription Drug Abuse among Teenagers ( 12-17 Years) Prescription Drugs are medications that are prescribed to patients by a doctor to help in many ways, such as relieve pain, treat symptoms of a disease, or to help fight an infection. They are very safe when used properly and under supervision of a physician, yet if used without approval of a doctor they can be very harmful and in some cases could lead to death. During your adolescence years, teens have curiosity which builds up andRead MoreSubstance Abuse Among Teenagers : A Survey1201 Words   |  5 PagesSubstance Abuse Among Teenagers Hannah is a fifteen year old girl who was recently sent to a rehabilitation center for the result of abuse of prescription medication. 6.1 million high school students currently use addictive substances, and like Hannah, 1 in 3 of them are addicted (â€Å"National Study Reveals,†2011). Although the number of teens using these drugs are decreasing, the numbers are still dangerously high. Due to it’s high risk of addiction, dangerous consequences, and growing availabilityRead MorePrescription Drug Abuse. Did You Know That Prescription1173 Words   |  5 PagesPrescription Drug Abuse Did you know that prescription drug abuse is one of the leading causes of death in the United States? â€Å"According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, two-hundred and ninety people in the United States are killed by prescription drugs every day. (White)† That number is growing every year due to the lack of knowledge of prescription drugs and the potential harm they can cause. Many people are under the misconception that prescription drugs are safe becauseRead MoreThe Epidemic of Teenagers Using Drugs1687 Words   |  7 PagesThe Epidemic of Teenagers Abusing Drugs Krystyn Romualdo COM/156 November 18, 2012 Jackie Hudspeth Jr The Epidemic of Teenagers Abusing Drugs To have known so many people that have struggled with drug addiction in their teenage years it has become very apparent what a vital time in one’s life it is to know the dangers of abusing drugs as a teenager. Even though not all teens abuse drugs, it is an epidemic in the United States because more teens are turning to drugs to escape or use outRead MorePrescription Drug Abuse1483 Words   |  6 Pagesaudience I will be addressing is parents, caregivers and school educators about the dangers of prescription drugs and how we can better educate teenagers and young adults on the dangers of abusing them. There are many ways that we can teach and educate our teenagers and young adults, but it’s important that families, schools and communities are involved. The rate of prescription drug overdose among teenagers and young adults have sky rocketed over the past several years. This has become a growing epidemicRead MorePrescription Drug Abuse : Drug And Free World1508 Words   |  7 Pagesaged 12 to 17 abuse a prescription pain reliever for the first time (â€Å"Prescription Drug Abuse Statistics – Overdoes Deaths – Drug-Free World,†n.d.) A 2007 survey in the United States found that 3.3% of 12 to 17 years olds and 6% of 17 to 25 year olds had abused prescription drugs in the past month (â€Å"Prescription Drug Abuse Statistics – Overdoes Deaths – Drug-Free World,†n.d.) Prescription drug abuse causes the largest percentage of deaths from drug overdoses (â€Å"Prescription Drug Abuse StatisticsRead MorePast and Current Trends1207 Words   |  5 PagesPast and Current Trends Drugs and alcohol have played a role in American society for many years. There is, however, a wider variety of drugs available today than ever before and with this wider variety there comes a wider range of addictive qualities and health related risks that individuals who take these drugs are subjected. Habit forming drugs were introduced into American society as far back as the 1700s. These drugs were widely used for medicinal purposes without any knowledge of their addictiveRead MoreThe s Fastest Growing Drug Problem1750 Words   |  7 Pagesopioids are described as the â€Å"ation’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. Historically, although these narcotics