The teenage years are times of major transition. Teenage offers an exciting, new, independent life for many kids. They can be vulnerable to many risky behaviors such as abusing prescription drugs. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), about 1.9 million youth aged 12 to 17 years abused prescription drugs in 2008. Abuse of prescription drugs is dangerous as well as illegal, but many teens are not aware of the risks involved. Instead they are getting incorrect information from their peers.
Wrong Assumptions:
There are many wrong assumptions in teens about the prescription drugs today. Some of the common myths surrounding teen prescription drug abuse are:
Myth 1: Prescription drugs are safer than illegal drugs
Most of the teens think that prescription drugs are safer than illegal drugs as they are prescribed by doctors and their manufacture is regulated. They also believe that these drugs have fewer side effects compared to illicit drugs. They fail to understand that these drugs are safe only to treat a particular illness or condition.
The abuse of prescription drugs is as dangerous as abusing other illegal substances. Prescription drugs are very powerful medications which often have dangerous side effects on brain and body. Just as any other illicit drug, they act on brain sites causing negative short and long-term health consequences and also death in some cases.
Myth 2: It is legal to use prescription drugs
One of the common myths among the teens about the prescription drugs is that they are legal to use as they get them from their family's medicine cabinet instead of a street dealer.
The fact is that abusing and sharing prescription drugs is illegal. Prescription drugs are generally considered as 'controlled substances'. The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act states that using these prescription drugs without a doctor's prescription or abusing someone else's prescription is against the law. Prescription drugs, not only can make healthy kids very sick, abusing or sharing them could also land them in jail.
Myth 3: Prescription drugs can be obtained from street dealer
One myth surrounding the prescription drug abuse by teens is that they can obtain them from a street drug dealer.
But it is very unfortunate that they are readily available at their home in the medical cabinet. They need not go to drug dealers with others prescription. Most of the teens get prescription drugs from friends or relatives by buying or stealing. According to 2009 NIDA's Monitoring the Future Survey, the vast majority, 66 percent of the teens got the prescription drugs from a friend or a relative.
Myth 4: It is normal to take drugs once in a while
Teens sometimes perceive that taking prescription drugs once in a while is normal. They believe that they will not get addicted if they occasionally use these drugs.
But the truth is that most drug addictions start during adolescence. Prescription drugs are as addictive as any other illicit street drugs. Risk of becoming addicted and developing substance abuse problems will be significantly higher if they experiment with prescription drugs during their teenage. Sometimes teenagers experimenting with drugs for the first time may have adverse reaction from an accidental overdose.
Myth 5: Every one is doing it
One of the reasons for teens getting addicted to prescription drugs is they think that everyone is abusing them. Most of the teenagers get an impression that many of their peers are abusing these drugs.
But in reality, a large number of teens are not abusing these drugs. Only one in five teens admits to use prescription drugs. And the vast majority are not abusing these drugs.
Understanding the myths surrounding the teen prescription drug abuse can help parents, teachers, friends and others concerned, intervene early and keep the teens off the harmful prescription drug abuse.
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