Polar Bear Medical Blog

Prescription Drugs

Teenage illicit drug use is a result of ongoing substance abuse. Many teenagers with drug misuse problems involve drugs that are obtained from the family medicine cabinet. Prescription drug abuse by teens is rising even though alcohol, tobacco, and other illegal drug use is decreasing.

Marijuana, alcohol, and tobacco are the leaders of drug use in American adolescents; however prescription drug misuse is right behind them. A study in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry by Ty Schepis PhD and Suchritra Krishnan-Sarin found that the majority of this drug use begins at home. Dr. Schepis and Dr. Krishnan-Sarin from the Department of Psychiatry at Yale University School of Medicine used data to show that nearly 50% of all classes of medicine (opioids, stimulants, tranquilizers, and sedatives) were obtained for no charge by family members and friends.

The most common way for teens to obtain opioids was via a physician. However, the most common source for other drugs was family and friends (13.1% – 29.7%). The second most common was through a drug dealer (4.6%-12.0%). MD Richard A. Freidman, professor of Clinical Psychiatry and director of the Psychopharmacology Clinic at Cornell University’s Weill Medical College who studies teenage drug abuse said “these data underscore how easy it is for young people to obtain potentially abusable prescription drugs. It is clear from these data that the main source is not street dealers, but friends, family members, and physicians.”

The availability of drugs is a big factor. Dr. Schepis cautions that “many people have medications that they previously needed that remain in their medicine cabinet, perhaps and opioid analgesic for a surgery. These medications are easy targets for adolescents wishing to experiment, continue to use, or sell medications to peers. Thus, proper medication disposal is really important, and all patients should be counselled on that.”

Powered by Bookmarkify™