Easy access and false assumptions about the dangers of prescription drugs may be contributing factors.
A recently released 2006 study by University of Michigan researcher Lloyd Johnson found that while illegal drug use among young people continues to fall, use of prescription drugs such as Oxycontin and Vicodin among the same group remains high. (University of Michigan News Service, Dec. 2006).
Why might this be? Some theorize that these drugs are easier for kids to obtain, sometimes found right in their own parents’ medicine cabinets. They may be easier to transport and conceal, and kids may be less fearful of being “caught” with a legal prescription drug than being caught with, for example, marijuana, crack cocaine or methamphetamines.
Kids may also harbor dangerous misconceptions about the safety of prescription drugs. They may mistakenly believe that because these drugs are prescribed by a doctor, they are somehow “safer” than illegal drugs they may purchase on the street. Because of limits in their cognitive development, many teens tend to believe that they are invincible. This belief, coupled with a misperception of “safety”, may be enough to counter any reservations kids may have about using these drugs.
The reality, however, is that prescription drugs are dangerous for anyone other than the intended patient. When kids take medication not prescribed by a doctor, they risk the health of their developing bodies, as well as unknown dangers from interactions with alcohol or medications they may be taking. Obviously, kids should only take medications that are prescribed and monitored by their doctor. This study reminds us of the need to remain vigilant in monitoring our kids and talking to them often about the dangers of all drug use.
