Prescription Drug Awareness

Prescription drug abuse is not a new problem, but it is one that deserves renewed attention.  According to data reported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse in December 2011, prescription and over-the-counter medications account for most of the commonly abused illicit drugs by high school seniors.

For example, nearly 1 in 12 high school seniors reported non-medical use of Vicodin and 1 in 20 reported abuse of OxyContin.  When asked how prescription narcotics were obtained for non-medical use, 70% of 12th graders said they were given to them by a friend or a relative.