Teen Opiate Abuse

By Staff Writer

Opioids are among the most widely prescribed drugs in the U.S. and are commonly used to treat pain in both adults and teens.

Recent research from Boston University's Slone Epidemiology Center suggests that in a given week, over 10 million Americans are taking opioids, and more than four million are taking them regularly (at least five days per week, for at least four weeks). The researchers also made the following findings:

Opioids were used “regularly” by 2 percent of those surveyed, and an additional 2.9 percent used opioids less frequently.
Regular opioid use increased with age, decreased with education level, and was more common in females.
Regular opioid use tended to increase over time and was highest in the South Central region of the country.
Among regular users, almost half had been taking opioids for two or more years and nearly one-fifth had been taking opioids for five years or longer.
Regular opioid users have a higher prevalence of other medication use.

While many people use opioids for legitimate pain management purposes, this class of drug has high potential for misuse and abuse, especially among adolescents.

A study published in the August 2009 issue of the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine suggests that opioid abuse is common among high school seniors. Researchers from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, surveyed 12,441 students about their reasons for using opioids such as morphine, opium or codeine without a prescription. The leading motives were to relax (56.4 percent), to feel good or get high (53.5 percent), to experiment (52.4 percent), to relieve physical pain (44.8 percent) or to have a good time with friends (29.5 percent).

Even more worrisome is that teens appear to share prescription drugs somewhat indiscriminately. A study published in the August issue of the Journal of Adolescent Health reports that many teens are sharing prescription drugs with their friends. Among the 592 12- to 17-year-olds surveyed, 20 percent admitted to lending a prescription drug to a friend, while a similar percentage said they had borrowed a prescription medication. The most commonly shared prescriptions were allergy drugs and narcotic pain relievers like Oxycontin and Darvocet, followed by antibiotics, acne medications like Accutane, and mood drugs such as antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications.

In many cases, teens abuse prescription opioids without visiting a doctor, without learning about potential drug interactions and side effects, and without understanding the dangers of prescription drug sharing. Experts warn that more education and preventive efforts are needed, as opioid dependence and opioid addiction can have devastating physical, emotional and psychological consequences, particularly on teenage brains and bodies.

Teen Opiate Abuse

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