Teens and Prescription Drugs

Study finds teens less wary of prescription drugs.

The AP (12/15, Goodman) reports the National Institute on Drug Abuse released a study on Monday which determined that marijuana usage has become "even more popular" among US teens in recent years. Researchers said the increase could be partly attributable to "the national debate over medical use of marijuana" which can "make the drugs seem safer to teenagers." The study also found that "in addition to marijuana, fewer teens also view prescription drugs and Ecstasy as dangerous." National Institute on Drug Abuse Director Nora Volkow, MD, warned that teens "falsely reason it's less dangerous to get high on prescription drugs 'because they're endorsed by the medical community.'" The Christian Science Monitor (12/15, Wood) reports the study determined that "seven of the 10 drugs most abused by high school seniors are prescription or over-the-counter drugs acquired primarily from teens' friends or relatives."
The Oregonian (12/15, Dworkin) reports that the study also found methamphetamine use by teens "has dropped to its lowest level in at least a decade," while "cigarette smoking has also fallen to low rates, with just one in nine high-school seniors smoking daily." The Wall Street Journal (12/15, Dooren) reports alcohol consumption remained consistent with previous years, with nearly two-thirds of seniors reporting abuse in the past year. The Los Angeles Times (12/15, Healy) reports, "Although fewer kids reported taking Ritalin [methylphenidate], much of that decline was because kids had merely shifted to Adderall [amphetamine/dextroamphetamine], a newer AD/HD drug." The Washington Times (12/15, Billups) also covers the story.
Citation: AMA