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The Reality of Prescription Drug Abuse among Teenagers




Prescription drug abuse has been sweeping the country. Such an epidemic is on the rise and it affects a lot of people from different walks of life. As a matter of fact, a survey conducted lately by the United States Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration revealed that 6,000 US citizens are starting to abuse prescription drugs on a daily basis. More than 30 percent of new drug abusers are under 18 years of age.


Because prescription drugs come with a doctor's prescription, many people regard these drugs as safer when compared to illicit drugs. This is probably one reason why teens try them at the start. A different reason is because they are quite easy to obtain as these drugs are usually found in many people's residences in the US.


Prescription Drug Abuse Could Result to the Use of Heroin

According to many heroin users, heroin became an option for them because it is cheaper than prescription painkillers. But then just like all other drugs, tolerance starts to develop over time as a result of frequent use. And so, an addict needs to consume additional amounts to experience the desired outcome. Prescription medication can turn out to be very expensive for such a habit. A painkiller addict might need between six and seven pills every day to maintain his/her high. Surprisingly, a gram of heroin which is good for three to four days high is obtainable for a similar amount of pills.


A recent alteration in the formula of the pain reliever Oxycontin keeps the drug crush-proof, which makes it tougher for addicts to sniff or inject, and so many of the painkiller addicts turn to heroin instead. A research of over 2,500 opiod dependents showed a decline in Oxycontin abuse to 17 percent ever since the introduction of this new formula in 2010, while heroin abuse rose to twice as much at this same period. This may sound quite radical for teenagers to involve themselves in, but it's a possibility that is very likely to happen in the future, unless they put a stop to their habit.


Why Teenagers Contribute Such a High Percentage

Children are usually facing lots of challenges during their adolescent years. Such challenges maybe issues at home, peer pressure as well as social acceptance. Peer pressure can happen at school and in their homes through the Internet. Peer pressure via the Internet has become a nationwide phenomenon, which is something that affects teenagers to a great extent.


With social media websites being so popular, there is a surplus of photos and discussions about partying or hooking up as the key topic. By talking to your teenagers regarding these issues and making them always preoccupied with extracurricular affairs, your teens are likely to stay away from drugs in favor of a better life up ahead. For further details about Prescription Drug Abuse, click here. You can find more info at this article: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/03/drug-addiction-language_n_6773246.html

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