You may remember the days of childhood. It was common to get
a cold, flu bug, or other type of illness. Trips to the doctor were never fun,
but you knew that the word medicine meant a way to get better. Medicine helped
get over the illness and back to school, back to the playground, and back with
your friends. You knew that a doctor was prescribing you with the medication to
help you recover. However, as you get older, you start to realize that some
people abuse these same medications.
According to drugs.com, drugs that are safe and effective
for use by the general public, without a prescription, are defined as
over-the-counter (OTC) drugs. These drugs are often located on shelves in
pharmacies, as well as non-pharmacy outlets. A few examples include grocery
stores, convenience stores, and large discount retailers. In the U.S., there
are more than 80 classes of OTC drugs. These range from allergy medications, to
pain relievers, to weight loss products.
Some medications have psychoactive (mind-altering)
properties and, because of that, they are sometimes abused. You could define
abusing medications as someone taking a medication in ways or amounts other
than what has been instructed in directions or by a doctor, or taken by someone
other than the person for whom they are prescribed to. In fact, prescription
and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs are, after marijuana (and alcohol), the most
commonly abused substances by Americans, ages 14 and older. This is according
to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
According to a study
conducted by the University of Michigan, the most commonly abused prescription
drugs are: opioid pain relievers, stimulants for treating ADHD (Attention
Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), and CNS (Central Nervous System) depressants
for relieving anxiety. The most commonly abused OTC drugs are cough and cold
remedies containing dextromethorphan.
Many people believe that prescription drugs and OTC drugs
are safer to use than illicit drugs. This is only true when they are taken
exactly as prescribed and for the purpose intended. When these prescription and
OTC drugs are abused, they can become addictive and put abusers at risk for
other adverse health effects. This includes overdose, especially when taken
along with other drugs or alcohol.
There is more than one way for prescription and OTC drugs to
be abused. These include taking a medication that has been prescribed for
somebody else, taking a drug in a higher quantity or another manner than
prescribed, and taking a drug for another purpose than prescribed.
We usually think of drug abuse issues as illicit drugs.
However, licit drugs (legal for prescription) are a huge abuse issue. Whether
they are being deliberately abused, or accidentally abused while taking them
for a medical purpose, the results are disturbing. People abuse over-the-counter (OTC) products
to get high, zone out, hallucinate, etc.
Often times this abuse involves youth since these products are so
readily available, either in the home medicine cabinet or simply for purchase.
The importance of educating our youth about the risks
associated with the use and abuse of prescription and over-the-counter drugs
need not go overlooked. Some of the same “medicines” that we have come to lean
on during periods of illness, can harm our kids, family, and friends.
