Preview

Prescription Drug Abuse Among Teens

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
761 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Prescription Drug Abuse Among Teens
he problem of teenagers drug abuse is not something that has sprung up in recent times. It has been one of the unsolved issues since many decades now. And with modernization, the problem seems as if it is never going to leave. There could be a myriad of causes of this problem, and there are also several types of complications associated with it. As you read further, you would realize the potency of the causes of drug abuse among teenagers.

Causes of Drug Abuse Among Teenagers

Prescription Drug Abuse Among Teenagers
This has been found to be one of the most common causes of drug addiction, especially in the teens. The term 'prescription drug abuse', is plainly defined as a condition wherein, the prescribed medicine is not used in a way the doctor recommends the patient to. Meaning, the person takes higher doses of the drugs and even if his/her illness is cured. The drugs which are common in this cases include all types of pain killers, drugs for anxiety or sleep disorders, and drugs for triggering stimulant activities. It has been found that most teenagers use these prescription drugs with a thought that these are safer than using illicit drugs.
…show more content…

Most teens may have this notion that their parents might not care about them abusing the drugs. So this stresses on the importance of communication between parents and children. It is most likely that, knowing about the specific dangers and health concerns of drug abuse, would help teenagers to avoid the habit. So, work with your kids and look for some real information in the form of statistics and medical explanation about the side effects of drug

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Better Essays

    Go Ask Alice Addiction

    • 1882 Words
    • 8 Pages

    With no prior exposure to them, teenagers have no clue how to deal with a situation involving drugs. They get involved with drugs for many different reasons. For one, peer pressure can take over their extremely impressionable minds and the pressure to fit…

    • 1882 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Teenagers today believe that the first use of drugs is safe. However, although there is no instant addiction with the first try. Teenagers tend to experiment further (Teen Drug Abuse 3). Therefore, availability, curiosity, and experimentation could result in drug addiction among teenagers (Teen Drug Abuse 6).…

    • 1360 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Hum/111 Critical Thinking

    • 741 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Adolescents who experiment with drugs normally do not have the facts of each drug and will normally start out with less harsh ones which eventually lead to the hardcore drugs as well as possibly alcohol. Adolescents who do not completely understand the consequences of these drugs are not fully aware of how these drugs can harm their bodies or how addictive they can turn out to be as well as some of the shameful things they may do in order to support their habit; they sure are not going to understand why these drugs are unsafe. Without understanding the dangers more adolescents to cave under peer-pressure. I believe adolescent drug abuse itself is a problem. Of course not everyone agrees on the solutions proposed. Certain individuals think more sports should be provided to offer structure to our adolescents away from home whereas others think parents need to become further educated to be prepared to teach their own children.…

    • 741 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Although the abuse of prescription drugs for nonmedical purposes has been a concern for past decades, the recent drastic increase of young adolescents in America abusing these types of drugs has alarmed many. As an adolescent myself and many others that I know, most of us are always intrigued to try new things without the necessary precautions regarding the consequences. The sensation to try new stuff is a major reason why many teens are experimenting on these new types of drugs. Besides, teens believe that prescription drugs acquired from pharmacies are not as dangerous as the illegal drugs that they would normally find on the streets. Sadly, the easiest prescription drugs to find have the most hazardous effects. In addition, teens practice “pharming” (Banta, par.2). Pharming short for pharmacy or rather pharmaceutical, are outrageous parties in which young adults gather as many different prescription drugs as possible and abuse of them in order to get high. Clearly, these types of…

    • 1200 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Directly or indirectly, adolescents are affected by substance abuse. Substance use is one of the United States’ leading health problems. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, deaths associated with drug use have “more than doubled since the early 1980s” (www.drugabuse.gov). Substance use addictions are costly to tax payers. Substance use is an overlooked problem and continues to grow. Eliminating the use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs is impossible. Never the less it is important to create awareness on the health effects of the abuse of substances among…

    • 4036 Words
    • 13 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Do the right thing

    • 486 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Youth violence and drug abuse has become a major issue in our society today. 1 in 7 teens said they have been in a fight on school property this past year. More and more teens are doing drugs because they see people doing on television or are influenced by their friends.…

    • 486 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Prescription drug abuse has become so prevalent and is now classified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as an epidemic. (“Prescription Drug Abuse”, The White House) Abuse of these drugs can arise in a number of ways. Many people are prescribed medication for a legitimate reason and they become addicted. When this happens, the patient usually tries to continue getting prescribed the medication from their doctor or go looking for other doctors that will continue to prescribe the drug. If unsuccessful, they’ll look elsewhere to find the drug and often times this means purchasing illegally on the street or over the internet. This problem occurs in all age groups. Even if the patient doesn’t become addicted, there’s a chance that they will enjoy the affects the drugs have and will continue to want to use them.…

    • 1224 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Prescription drug abuse is a fast-growing, nation-wide epidemic in the United States. Although millions of Americans receive medically prescribed drugs for their illnesses, which is considered legitimate usage, abusing prescription drugs means either a) someone is taking prescription medication that were not prescribed to them or b) someone is taking prescription drugs in a manner the drug was not intended for or is taking too much of the recommended doses. Common examples of such abusive behavior include people who take prescription medication for recreational purposes or people who are under heavy emotional distress and use drugs to relieve the pain.…

    • 631 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Teens who suffer from depression, anxiety, or other psychological disorders may turn to drugs to cope with their problems. Environmental conditions such as parental drug abuse or access to drugs may also lead to teens abusing drugs. Behavioral conditions in which teens act out or actively seek out dangerous behaviors may lead to teen using drugs to produce a euphoric or exaggerated sense of reality to fill a need for excitement. To prevent drug abuse these issues must be addressed and dealt with appropriately.…

    • 2923 Words
    • 12 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Why are prescription medications quickly becoming the most abused drug throughout today's youth. Dr. Nora D. Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, estimates that forty eight million people misuse prescribed medicine. That is about twenty percent of the United States population (1). Maybe because these medications are fairly easy to posses, no matter of the age trying to acquire them. It is less expensive than street drugs such as ecstasy, marijuana, or cocaine. A thought of prescription pills may be less addictive and entertaining as well. Some people may also find drugs in their medicine cabinet…

    • 1644 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Prescription Medications

    • 608 Words
    • 2 Pages

    “Prescription drugs are the second most commonly abused category of drugs such as heroine, methamphetamines and crack cocaine.” McBride, H (April 2009). Prescription drugs can become addictive when not used in the manner in which they are intended when they are prescribed. Anti-Anxiety medications such as Xanax and Vallium are the most commonly abused medications, along with pain killers such as Hydrocodone, Roxycodone, Oxycodone and Oxycontin. Even medications that are being prescribed for ADHD, most commonly Adderall, are being abused by people that do not actually have ADHD. The effect of taking this medication is the same as methamphetamines. “Estimations of nearly 20 percent of people in the United States have used prescription drugs for non-medical reasons.” The National Institutes of Health (April 2009). The rate of the recreational use of prescription medication is growing everyday in the United States. It does not affect one age, ethnic or social group. It is a problem that is plaguing families of all types in our country and it is a problem that is not as emphasized as the abuse of illegal drugs. It is just as important to educate people on the severity of the possibility of becoming addicted to prescription drugs.…

    • 608 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Prescription drug abuse is a problem that has plagued the United States for some time. It is clear that prescription drug abuse is the intentional use of a medication without a prescription used in the way other than prescribed; as a result the drug is used for a experience or feeling it causes. Many people don’t believe prescription drugs are addictive. Prescription drugs are medication you get from the doctors. You take prescription drugs to take away pain or to heal an illness. Depending on what your illness or how severe your pain is the doctor will prescribe a certain amount of medicine. Prescription drugs are addictive because of the strong dosage, it only takes one time for a person to take them, and the feeling it gives.…

    • 1306 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Prescription drug abuse happens whenever someone is using a medication in a manner other than for the use for which it was prescribed, for the experience provided by the medication, or without a proper prescription. Painkillers are by far the most commonly abused prescription drugs, and they’re relatively easy to obtain. Consequently, prescription drug addiction is not all that uncommon. About one in five Americans (https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/prescription-drugs/director) aged twelve and older has used prescription drugs for recreational purposes at some point in their lifetime.…

    • 671 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Prescription Drug Abuse

    • 458 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Some prescription drugs can become addictive, especially when they are used in a manner inconsistent with their labeling or for reasons they were not prescribed. Those include narcotic painkillers like OxyContin or Vicodin, sedatives and tranquilizers like Xanax or Valium, and stimulants like Dexedrine, Adderall or Ritalin. Steroid abuse is also on the rise. Steroids are prescription drugs that are legally prescribed to treat a variety of medical conditions that cause loss of lean muscle mass, such as cancer and AIDS. Men consistently report higher rates of steroid use than women. In 2008, 2.5 percent of 12th grade males, versus 0.6 percent of 12th grade females, reported taking the drugs in the past year (Longley par.4).…

    • 458 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Prescription Drug Abuse

    • 1030 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Today I am going to talk to you about prescription drugs abuse. Many of us know people that take prescribed medication on a daily basis and I don’t know about you guys but I have seen people that have become addicted in which it’s sometimes painful to watch. No one decides to get addicted to prescription pain pills, sometimes a person’s body becomes immune the amount and that’s why they need more and more to help control the pain. What is prescription drug abuse? According to NIH (National Institute on Drug Abuse), “Prescription drug abuse is the use of a medication without a prescription.” From the website drugabuse.gov ,” In 2009, 16 million Americans age 12 and older had taken a prescription pain reliever, tranquilizer, stimulant, or sedative for nonmedical purposes at least once in the year prior to being surveyed. Source: National Survey on Drug Use and Health (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration Web Site). The NIDA-funded 2010 Monitoring the Future Study showed that 2.7% of 8th graders, 7.7% of 10th graders, and 8.0% of 12th graders had abused Vicodin and 2.1% of 8th graders, 4.6% of 10th graders, and 5.1% of 12th graders had abused OxyContin for nonmedical purposes at least once in the year prior to being surveyed.”…

    • 1030 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays