Prevention efforts focused on youth reduce prescription abuse into adulthood

National Institute on Drug Abuse, February 14, 2013

"Middle school students from small towns and rural communities who received any of three community-based prevention programs were less likely to abuse prescription medications in late adolescence and young adulthood. The research, published today in the American Journal of Public Health, was funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, and the National Institute of Mental Health, all components of the National Institutes of Health.
'Prescription medications are beneficial when used as prescribed to treat pain, anxiety, or ADHD,' said NIDA Director Dr. Nora D. Volkow. 'However, their abuse can have serious consequences, including addiction or even death from overdose. We are especially concerned about prescription drug abuse among teens, who are developmentally at an increased risk for addiction.'" Read More