Most people take medicines only for the reasons their doctors prescribe them. But an estimated 20 percent of people in the United States have used prescription drugs for nonmedical reasons. This is prescription drug abuse. It is a serious and growing problem.
Abusing some prescription drugs can lead to addiction. You can develop an addiction to:
- Narcotic painkillers
- Sedatives and tranquilizers
- Stimulants
Experts don't know exactly why this type of drug abuse is increasing. The availability of drugs is probably one reason. Doctors are prescribing more drugs for more health problems than ever before. Online pharmacies make it easy to get prescription drugs without a prescription, even for youngsters.
National Institute on Drug Abuse
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Prescription Drug Abuse Chart
(National Institute on Drug Abuse) - http://www.nida.nih.gov/DrugPages/PrescripDrugsChart.html
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Prescription Drugs: Abuse and Addiction(National Institute on Drug Abuse) - http://www.nida.nih.gov/ResearchReports/Prescription/Prescription.html
Also available in Spanish http://www.nida.nih.gov/ResearchReports/Prescripcion/Prescripcion.html
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Prescription Pain and Other Medications(National Institute on Drug Abuse) - http://www.nida.nih.gov/Infofacts/Painmed.html
Also available in Spanish http://www.nida.nih.gov/Infofacts/Medicamentos-sp.html
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Drugs of Abuse: Prescription Medications(National Institute on Drug Abuse) - http://www.nida.nih.gov/drugpages/prescription.html
- Prescription Drug Abuse(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/prescription-drug-abuse/DS01079/METHOD=print&DSECTION=all
- Abuse, Dependence Common in Teen Painkiller Users(09/09/2008, Reuters Health) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_69046.html
- 'Street' Drug Use Down, Prescription Drug Abuse Rising(09/04/2008, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_68925.html
- College Freshmen See Prescription Drug Misuse More Risky Than Alcohol, Pot(09/03/2008, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_68870.html
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Treating Prescription Drug Addiction(National Institute on Drug Abuse) - http://www.nida.nih.gov/ResearchReports/Prescription/prescription7.html
- Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention(Office of National Drug Control Policy) - http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/drugfact/prescr_drg_abuse.html
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Preventing and Recognizing Prescription Drug Abuse(National Institute on Drug Abuse) - http://www.nida.nih.gov/ResearchReports/Prescription/prescription6.html
- Benzodiazepines(Drug Enforcement Administration) - http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/concern/benzodiazepines.html
- Depressants(Drug Enforcement Administration) - http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/concern/depressants.html
- Oxycontin(Partnership for a Drug-Free America) - http://www.drugfree.org/Portal/drug_guide/OxyContin
- Prescription Pain Relievers(Partnership for a Drug-Free America) - http://www.drugfree.org/Portal/drug_guide/Prescription_Pain_Relievers
- Prescription Sedatives and Tranquilizers(Partnership for a Drug-Free America) - http://www.drugfree.org/Portal/drug_guide/Prescription_Sedatives_Tranquilizers
- Prescription Stimulants(Partnership for a Drug-Free America) - http://www.drugfree.org/Portal/drug_guide/Prescription_Stimulants
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Some Commonly Prescribed Medications: Use and Consequences(National Institute on Drug Abuse) - http://www.nida.nih.gov/ResearchReports/Prescription/prescription8.html
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Steroids (Anabolic-Androgenic)(National Institute on Drug Abuse) - http://www.nida.nih.gov/infofacts/steroids.html
Also available in Spanish http://www.nida.nih.gov/Infofacts/Steroids-sp.html
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Stimulant ADHD Medications - Methylphenidate and Amphetamines(National Institute on Drug Abuse) - http://www.drugabuse.gov/infofacts/ADHD.html
Also available in Spanish http://www.nida.nih.gov/infofacts/ritalin-sp.html
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Alcohol Abuse Makes Prescription Drug Abuse More Likely(National Institute on Drug Abuse) - http://www.drugabuse.gov/NIDA_notes/NNvol21N5/alcohol.html
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Studies Identify Factors Surrounding Rise in Abuse of Prescription Drugs by College Students(National Institute on Drug Abuse) - http://www.nida.nih.gov/NIDA_notes/NNvol20N4/Studies.html
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Opioids in the management of chronic non-cancer pain: an update... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18443640&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Opioid-related issues "popping" up again. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18443634&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Characterizing adolescent prescription misusers: a population-based study. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18520963&tool=MedlinePlus
- Prescription Drug Abuse -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=prescriptions,drug[mh]+AND+substance+related+disorders[mh:noexp]+AND+english[la]&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Substance Abuse Treatment Facility Locator(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - http://dasis3.samhsa.gov/
- Center for Drug Evaluation and Research - http://www.fda.gov/cder/
- Drug Enforcement Administration - http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/
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National Institute on Drug Abuse - http://www.nida.nih.gov/
- Partnership for a Drug-Free America - http://www.drugfree.org/
- 2006 National Survey on Drug Use & Health: National Results(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - http://www.oas.samhsa.gov/nsduh/2k6nsduh/2k6Results.cfm
- Non-Medical Use and Abuse: Prescription-Type and Over-the-Counter Drugs(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - http://www.oas.samhsa.gov/prescription.htm
- Nonmedical Stimulant Use, Other Drug Use, Delinquent Behaviors, and Depression among Adolescents(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - http://oas.samhsa.gov/2k8/stimulants/depression.htm
- Nonmedical Use of Pain Relievers in Substate Regions: 2004 to 2006(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - http://www.oas.samhsa.gov/2k8/pain/substate.htm
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Trends in Prescription Drug Abuse(National Institute on Drug Abuse) - http://www.nida.nih.gov/ResearchReports/Prescription/prescription5.html
- Women and Prescription Drugs(Office of National Drug Control Policy) - http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/drugfact/factsht/women_presc_drgs.html
- Ad Spotlights Teen Abuse of Medicinal Drugs(Food and Drug Administration) - http://www.fda.gov/consumer/updates/antidrug071807.html
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Prescription Drug Abuse(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/drug_alcohol/drugs/prescription_drug_abuse.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/teen/en_espanol/drogas/prescription_drug_abuse_esp.html
- Prescription Medicine Abuse: A Serious Problem(Partnership for a Drug-Free America) - http://www.drugfree.org/Portal/DrugIssue/Features/Prescription_Medicine_Misuse
- Medicines - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/medicines.html
- Substance Abuse Problems - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/substanceabuseproblems.html
The primary NIH organization for research on Prescription Drug Abuse is the National Institute on Drug Abuse - http://www.nida.nih.gov/