Prescription drug addiction is the new fix in town for teens. The family medicine cabinet has replaced the corner pusher as the source for drugs, but the dangers of prescription drug abuse are just as real as those for illegal drugs.

Prescription Drug Abuse: Alarming Stats
The latest statistics from the Partnership for a Drug-Free America on teen prescription drug abuse are quite alarming. In a recent survey:

• 1 in 5 teens admitted to abusing a prescription painkiller
• 1 in 5 indicated that they abuse prescription stimulants and tranquilizers
• 1 in 10 reported that they have abused cough medicine.

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), prescription medicines are second only to marijuana when it comes to drug abuse by young people between the ages of 12 and 17. In an earlier study by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America, approximately 4.5 million teens admitted to taking Vicodin, OxyContin, Ritalin or Adderall for the purpose of getting high.

Attitudes, Associations and Access
Attitudes play an important role in teens' decisions to use and abuse prescription drugs. Many do not see any danger in using prescription drugs, believing that they are safe compared to drugs like cocaine and heroin. Association also plays a major role. In a survey conducted by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, nearly half of 17-year-old respondents indicated that they have one or more friends who abuse prescription drugs. Likewise, close to half (46%) admitted to leaving home on school nights to hang out with their friends and sometimes even to indulge in alcohol and drugs with their peers.

Attitudes and associations are not as likely to influence teen prescription drug abuse without access. Nearly half of all teens get prescription drugs from friends or family members, and while teens may openly share prescription drugs with their peers, they often secretly abuse their parents' prescription drugs, according to SAMHSA. To accomplish this, they need not look very far.

It should also be noted that a number of teens have their own official supply of prescription medications, particularly teens who have been prescribed drugs such as Ritalin. Not only are they able to abuse such drugs at their leisure, but also they can take them to school and share them with friends.

The World Wide Web is also a place where teens can go to get a supply of prescription drugs. There are numerous online pharmacies, and some of them will sell prescription drugs illegally to anyone with a credit card, reports SAMHSA. These companies typically do not require the actual prescriptions for the drugs, which makes it possible for teens to get access to them.

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