What you can do

According to the Partnership for a Drug-Free America, prescription painkillers, such as Vicodin™, OxyContin®, Codeine and Percocet®, or the generic hydrocodone, are the most common pharmaceuticals abused by teens, with one in five teens reportedly abusing prescription pain medications.

Highly addictive, prescription pain relievers are dispensed as tablets and capsules and are prescriped to provide relief from pain. Although side effects include drowsiness and slowed breathing, prescription pain relievers are abused because they affect the regions of the brain that mediate pleasure, leading to feelings of euphoria or wellbeing.

When taken exactly as prescribed, pain relievers can manage pain effectively, but with chronic use or abuse, a person may develop a physical dependence or addiction to these medications.

In 2007, six percent of high school seniors reported abusing depressants including Valium™, Xanax™ and Ativan. Depressants, which include benzodiazepines and barbiturates, are often prescribed by doctors to treat a variety of health conditions including anxiety and panic attacks, stress and tension, and sleep disorders.

Often referred to as sedatives and tranquilizers, depressants produce a drowsy or calming effect and cause a state of intoxication, which is why they have a high potential for abuse despite side effects that include fatigue, slowed pulse and breathing, confusion, impaired coordination, dizziness and lowered blood pressure.

Stimulant abuse of medications like Adderall, Dexedrine and Ritalin is more common among older teens and college students, with one in 10 teens indicating that they have abused Ritalin in their lifetime.

Before their potential for abuse and addiction became apparent, doctors prescribed stimulants to treat asthma, obesity, neurological disorders and other ailments. Today, these tablets and capsules are prescribed only for a few health conditions, including narcolepsy and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Because stimulants create feelings of exhilaration, energy, and increased focus and mental alertness, they can be abused as “study aids.” Stimulants also suppress appetites and increase metabolism, which can lead to erratic weight changes. Other side effects include increased heart rate, rapid or irregular heart beats, and increased blood pressure.

It’s not just prescription medications that are at risk of being abused or misused. In fact, more than 2 million teens in the United States have reported abusing over-the-counter cough medicines to get high, largely because they can be easily purchased at most supermarkets, drug stores and convenience stores.

Dextromethorphan, commonly referred to as DXM, is a common active ingredient in many cough medications and cold remedies. When taken as recommended, over-the-counter medications containing DXM can help treat headaches and alleviate sinus pressure and cold/flu symptoms. Qhen taken in high doses, however, DXM can produce a “high” feeling and be extremely dangerous.

Nausea and abdominal pain, loss of coordination or consciousness, an irregular heartbeat and headaches are among the side effects that can occur when DXM is taken in high dosages.

Over-the-counter abuse also occurs with laxatives, diuretics, emetics and diet pills, as teens try to achieve an idealized weight. Ephedrine, caffeine and phenylpropranolamine are just some of the dangerous and addictive substances found in diet pills. Herbal or natural weight loss products can be just as devastating, as all of these substances act as stimulants to the central nervous system.