Need for prescription addiction treatment already rising
The National Institute of Drug Abuse 2009 Monitoring The Future survey results are out and reports ten percent of the nations high school seniors have used Vicodin, a highly addictive opiod painkiller for non medicinal reasons, and 1 in 20 reported abusing Oxycontin, also a powerful opioid prescription painkiller. Non-medical use of these prescribed painkillers has also increased among 10th graders in the past five years. Prescription drug addiction has now surpassed addiction to cocaine and heroin combined.
The survey, conducted since its inception by a team of investigators at the University of Michigan, led by NIDA grantee Dr. Lloyd Johnston, also indicates a continuing high rate of non-medical use of other prescription drugs and cough syrup among teens. Seven of the top 10 drugs abused by 12th graders in the year prior to the survey were prescribed or purchased over the counter. This year was the first time the survey measured the non-medical use of Adderall, an amphetamine prescribed to treat ADHD. The survey shows more than 5 percent of 10th and 12th graders reported non-medical use of the drug in the past year.
How teens obtain the prescription drugs they took for non-medical use is one of the new questions on the survey. The answers were somewhat astounding with nearly 20 percent of 12th graders stating they got their prescription drugs from a doctor, and 8 percent reported buying them from a drug dealer. However, two thirds of those teens surveyed said they got the drugs from a friend or relative. Over ten percent simply “took” or stole the drugs, 21 percent reported "buying" them and 33 percent said they were "given" the drugs. Fortunately according to the report Internet purchases do not appear to be a major source of drugs for this age group.
The report did show improvements in some areas, for example illicit drug use was seen to be more harmful, as in methamphetamine use dropped from 4.7 percent to 1.2 percent, the lowest since the methamphetamine questions were added to the survey in 1999, overall thought and attitudes on drugs in general have simply seemed to shift from illicit drugs to easier to obtain prescription drugs. Particularly in the area of marijuana abuse, with the use of medical marijuana becoming more prevalent. This would also indicate the availability of drugs to be abused.
As stated by the Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy the 2009 Monitoring the Future survey is a warning sign, and the continued erosion in youth attitudes and behavior toward substance abuse should give pause to all parents and policymakers," said Director Gil Kerlikowske, "Considering the troublesome data from other national and local surveys, these latest data confirm that we must redouble our efforts to implement a comprehensive evidence-based approach to preventing and treating drug use."
Many addiction counselors and professionals have attempted to pin point and perform studies on effective prevention campaigns, when in fact these trends can be directly related to the media campaigns continually fed to the public. Unfortunately when pharmaceutical companies can afford to forward a 1.7 billion add campaign as recently reported, of course subsequent prescription drug abuse and addictions could only rise. The WHONDCP director should take a look at the overall public’s viewpoint of drugs and drug addiction as a whole. Effective drug prevention programs will give kids the whole picture about all drugs and their effects, prescribed and illicit. Additional information on the MTF, as well as comments from Dr. Volkow can be found at www.drugabuse.gov.
