The National Institute on Drug Abuse indicates that approximately 2,000 teens abuse prescription drugs every single day.1 Like all drug abuse, using prescription drugs for the wrong reasons has serious risks for a person’s health. Many prescription drugs can be quite addicting as well. This can lead to a lifetime battle with addiction when taken without the proper oversight.
In 2019, 4.3% of York County youth reported using prescription pain relievers, 3.1% reported using prescription stimulants, and 4.3% reported using other over the counter drugs to get high over their lifetime. 44.3% of youth that reported use of prescription drugs reported they took it from someone with their home and 24.9% felt that it was very easy to access prescription drugs.2
Sources:
1National Institute on Drug Abuse; National Institutes of Health; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
2Pennsylvania Youth Survey. Pennsylvania Center on Crime and Delinquency. Accessed March 9, 2022.
Resources
Talking With Your Teen About Opioids
https://www.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/TTHY-Opioid-Broch-2020.pdf – PDF download from SAMHSA.gov
Talking With Your Child About Opioids
https://www.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/opioid-brochure-newpics-r15f_508c_1.pdf – PDF download from SAMHSA.gov
Information for Parents About Medication Misuse
Medication Misuse: What You Need to Know to Help Protect Children, Teens and Young Adults
Importance of Proper Medication Storage and Disposal
RX Safety and Awareness – PDF download from SAFEGUARxD
Prescription Stimulants Drug Guide
https://drugfree.org/drugs/prescription-stimulants/
Prescription Pain Reliever Drug Guide
https://drugfree.org/drugs/prescription-pain-relievers-opioids/