When we talk about teen drug abuse these days, often it doesn’t refer to the common street drugs, like coke and acid. Instead, many teens have turned to over the counter (OTC) drugs and prescription medications to feed their addictions. In 2005, more than 2 million teens used prescription drugs to get high, indicating a spreading epidemic that has continued to grow.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) reported that in 2008 approximately 15% of high school seniors used a prescription drug non-medically the year before. Additionally, NIDA reported that 5.5% of 12th graders abused nonprescription cough medicine in 2008.
Most of these teens figure there’s nothing wrong with taking a handful of pills to get high when they come from the local drugstore. after all, it’s not like they’re doing heroin, right? They couldn’t be more wrong.
Missing the Danger
Obviously, cheaper drugs are going to be more popular and the fact that over the counter meds are easily accessible makes them very appealing. There is nothing illegal about having painkillers or cough medicine in your pocket, so the risk seems minimal. In reality,however, it’s anything but.
The problem with over the counter drugs is that they are designed to solve a problem with a certain dosage. When teens take them to get high, they have to basically overdose. Even if you start off on a low dose, say twice the normal amount, you’ll quickly become accustomed to it. Like any drug, it takes more and more to keep that high going and once you hit certain levels, an overdose could be fatal. The amount this takes depends entirely on which drug you are taking.
So, what exactly happens if you overdose on something simple like a cough medicine? It depends on the medicine, but anything that gives you a high has the potential for causing serious damage or even death. The stronger the meds, the more likely you are to suffer from permanent problems. Prescription drugs are usually far stronger and while that makes getting high easier and faster, it also means that the damage is more severe.
Short Term Effects of OTC/Prescription Drug Abuse
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Headaches
- Delusions
- Separation from friends and family
- Loss of interest in school, work, and hobbies
- Bleeding of the stomach (ibuprofen in particular causes this)
Long Term Effects of OTC/Prescription Drug Abuse
- Liver damage
- Brain damage
- Death by overdose
Where These Addictions Are Coming From
Unfortunately, the internet allows us to access a lot of information, including which prescriptions and OTC medications are good for getting high. Teens can easily access this information and many choose to use it unwisely. Once one teen has started using, others will likely try it, as well, and further add to the growing number of teens abusing these types of drugs.
By far the most common over the counter drug is dextromethorphan or DXM, which is found in most cough medicines, with higher amounts found in certain name brands, such as Coricidin HBP Cough and Cold tablets. Other drugs that teens find themselves addicted to include diet pills and pain killers, particularly prescription ones which contain ingredients like codeine. There are a number of other medications such as Valium, Viagra, Xanax, Ritalin, and Dramamine which can also be used for the high they give.
Despite the fact that everyone uses medicines at some point or another, that doesn’t mean they are safe in the amounts required to give you the desired high. In fact, certain types of drugs, such as opiates, can kill you very quickly when taken in higher than normal doses. Just because these drugs are legal doesn’t mean they aren’t dangerous.
If you suspect someone you know is abusing prescription or over the counter drugs, it’s a good idea to get them some help. There are treatments to help teens with addictions to medications and they are quite effective.