Young Adults & Prescription Pain Relievers

In 2005, 12.4 percent of young adults age 18 to 25 used prescription pain relievers nonmedically in the past year, and 1.7 percent met the criteria for past year prescription pain reliever dependence or abuse.

How did these young adults get these medications? According to a recent report from SAMHSA's Office of Applied Studies, among young adults age 18 to 25 who used prescription pain relievers nonmedically in the past year, over half (53.0 percent) obtained their most recent pain reliever used nonmedically from a friend or relative for free.

Among young adults age 18 to 25 who used prescription pain relievers nonmedically in the past year and met the criteria for prescription pain reliever dependence or abuse, 37.5 percent obtained their most recent prescription pain relievers for nonmedical purposes for free from a friend or relative, 19.9 percent bought them from a friend or relative, and 13.6 percent obtained them from one doctor.

For more information on the report, How Young Adults Obtain Prescription Pain Relievers for Nonmedical Use, visit the SAMHSA Web site at www.oas.samhsa.gov/2k6/getPain/getPain.cfm. 

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