prescription drug abuse

Prescription drug abuse is defined as using prescription drugs for non-medical reasons, such as to get high. Prescription drug abuse is especially common among teens and young adults, who often steal medication from their parents or their friends’ parents, usually without their knowledge. The most commonly abused prescription drugs are opioids such as codeine, oxycodone, and morphine; central nervous system depressants such as barbiturates and benzodiazepines; and stimulants such as dextroamphetamine and methylphenidate.



Articles Related to prescription drug abuse

Prescription Drugs and Pain: the Self-Defeating Loop

Prescription drugs and pain seem to go together like baseball and hot dogs, but unlike the latter, the former is anything but healthy – when used indiscriminately or for too long. The fact is that overuse of prescription drugs can put you into a self-defeating loop. Here’s what can happen. You have...
August 27th, 2010 | | Read More

DEA Announces National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has teamed up with state and local law enforcement, government, public health, and community organizations to establish the first National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day. On Saturday, September 25, 2010, Americans across the country will be able to return...
September 1st, 2010 | Prescription Drug Addiction | Read More

Teen Drug Abuse Increasingly Focused on Prescription Drugs

While many a teen is familiar with a pharm party – one in which kids gather and share the drugs they find in their own medicine cabinets to try and experience a high – there are still others who have a true problem. According to a recent WebMD report, a new study finds many high school students are...
June 18th, 2010 | Adolescent Drug Abuse | Read More

Study Examines Treatment for Prescription Opioid Dependence

At the American Psychiatric Association 2010 Annual Meeting, a study was presented that found that people addicted to prescription opioids (such as Vicodin and OxyContin) are more prone to relapse after a shorter treatment course. The study, the largest treatment study ever conducted for prescription...
May 25th, 2010 | Addiction Treatment | Read More

Gender May Play Role in Prescription Drug Abuse

A new study shows that gender appears to play a role in the risk of abuse of prescription pain drugs. Predictors of such abuse are different in men and women, researchers say, and knowing this could help doctors adopt treatment plans that are less likely to cause misuse of opioid medications.
April 29th, 2010 | Prescription Drug Addiction | Read More

20 Doctors Subpoenaed in Corey Haim’s Death

The Los Angeles County coroner’s office has subpoenaed medical records from 20 doctors in its investigation into actor Corey Haim’s death, a coroner investigator said.
March 26th, 2010 | Research & News | Read More

Feds Begin Massive Investigation of Pill Mills

A raid on three South Florida pain clinics that are suspected of illegally distributing millions of prescription pills is the start of what authorities call a massive investigation of “pill mills,” reports ABC News.
March 12th, 2010 | Research & News | Read More

Former Addict Helps Those with Substance Abuse Problems in Kentucky

In Somerset, Kentucky, a 24-year-old wife and mother shares her experiences with people entering rehab as part of her recovery from drug addiction. Ashlee Steele, a former cheerleader, was just 15 when she began experimenting with Ecstasy. "Addiction is not picky," she said. "It grabs...
January 18th, 2010 | Addiction Treatment | Read More

One in Five Wisconsin Teens Have Abused Prescription Drugs

A new study shows that one in five Wisconsin teenagers have abused prescription pain killers. This is the first time the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) has asked about teenage prescription drug abuse in its annual Youth Risk Behavior Survey.
December 29th, 2009 | Prescription Drug Addiction | Read More

Marijuana and Meth are the Most Abused Illicit Drugs in Iowa

In Iowa, marijuana and methamphetamine are the most abused illicit drugs, according to the 2010 Iowa Drug Control Strategy. Alcohol continues to be the most frequently abused substance in the state. The report also states that prescription drug abuse appears to be on the rise.
November 2nd, 2009 | Types of Addiction | Read More