Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse.

Prescription Drug Abuse Among Young People In the United States young people frequently abuse prescription drugs; the only illicit drug that is abused more frequently is marijuana. According to the 2000 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA), 10.9 percent of 12- to 17-year-olds reported nonmedical use of any psychotherapeutic at least once during their lifetime compared with 18.3 percent who reported having abused marijuana. (See Table 2.) These figures changed little from the previous year when 10.9 percent reported abusing a psychotherapeutic and 18.7 percent reported abusing marijuana. (The abuse of psychotherapeutics as reported by NHSDA denotes the nonmedical use of psychotherapeutics, a category that comprises prescription-type pain relievers, tranquilizers, stimulants, and sedatives.)  Table 2. Nonmedical Use of Psychotherapeutics Among 12- to 17-Year-Olds, 1999-2000   Lifetime Past Year Past Month   1999 2000 1999 2000 1999 2000 Any Psychotherapeutic* 10.9 10.9 7.1 7.1 2.9 3.0 Pain Relievers 8.2 8.4 5.5 5.4 2.1 2.3 Tranquilizers 2.5 2.5 1.6 1.6 0.5 0.5 Sedatives 0.8 0.8 0.5 0.5 0.2 0.2 Stimulants** 3.9 4.0 2.1 2.4 0.7 0.8 Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, NHSDA. *Denotes the nonmedical use of any prescription-type pain reliever, tranquilizer, stimulant, or sedative; does not include over-the-counter drugs. **Includes methamphetamine.  Prescription drugs, which are widely available and easy to obtain, provide young people with an easily accessible, inexpensive means of altering their mental and physical state. Abusers may experience a heightened sense of pleasure, euphoria, drowsiness, increased energy, or various other effects depending upon the drugs they abuse. Young people who abuse prescription drugs put themselves at risk of experiencing dangerous side effects. Prescription drugs--when taken as prescribed by a physician--successfully treat a variety of mental or physical conditions. However, when abused, these drugs can alter the brain's activity and lead to debilitating or life-threatening health problems and result in physical or psychological dependence.

For More Information:

Addresses
National Drug Intelligence Center 319 Washington Street, 5th Floor Johnstown, PA 15901 Tel. (814) 532-4601 FAX (814) 532-4690 E-mail NDIC.Contacts@usdoj.gov	National Drug Intelligence Center 8201 Greensboro Drive, Suite 1001 McLean, VA 22102-3840 Tel. (703) 556-8970 FAX (703) 556-7807
Web Addresses ADNET:  http://ndicosa        DOJ:  http://www.usdoj.gov/ndic/       LEO:  home.leo.gov/lesig/ndic/