ONDCP seeks to foster healthy individuals and safe communities by effectively 

leading the Nation’s effort to reduce drug use and its consequences.

April 2011

0.2

0.2

0.5

0.6

0.8

0.5

1.6

7.0

16.7

21.8

0 5 10 15 20 25

LSD

Heroin

Methamphetamine

Inhalants

Ecstasy

Crack

Cocaine (incl. Crack)

Psychotherapeutics*

Marijuana

Any Illicit Drug

Past Month Users, Aged 12 or Older (Millions)

Prescription Drugs (Psychotherapeutics) Used Non‐Medically

Are Second Most Abused Drugs After Marijuana in the U.S.

Source: SAMHSA, 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (September 2010).

9/2010

*Nonmedical use

A Response to the Epidemic of 

Prescription Drug Abuse

Prescription drugs are the second-most abused category of drugs in the United States, following 

marijuana.1

 When taken as directed for legitimate medical purposes, prescription drugs are safe 

and effective. However, they are just as dangerous and deadly as illegal drugs when used for 

non-medical reasons. 

While we must ensure 

better access to prescription 

drugs to alleviate suffering, 

it is also vital that we do all 

we can to reduce the 

diversion and abuse of 

pharmaceuticals. 

Because prescription drugs 

are legal, they are easily 

accessible, often from a 

home medicine cabinet. 

Further, some individuals 

who abuse prescription 

drugs, particularly teens, 

believe these substances are 

safer than illicit drugs because they are prescribed by a healthcare professional. 

According to the 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, among people age 12 or older 

who reported using pain relievers non-medically in the past year, 70 percent got the drugs from a 

friend or relative (either for free, purchased, or by theft). Another 18 percent reported getting the 

drug from one doctor. Only about 5 percent reported obtaining pain relievers from a drug dealer 

or other stranger, and less than half of one-percent bought the drugs on the Internet. Among 

those who said they obtained the pain reliever from a friend or relative for free, 80 percent 

reported that the friend or relative had obtained the drugs from just one doctor.2

It is important, therefore, for prescription drugs to be disposed of properly and not left where 

they can be easily diverted and abused. 
ONDCP seeks to foster healthy individuals and safe communities by effectively 

leading the Nation’s effort to reduce drug use and its consequences.

April 2011

Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention Plan 

Prescription drugs have great potential for relieving suffering, but also potential for abuse. Any 

policy in this area must strike a balance between maximizing legitimate access and use of these 

medications while minimizing their diversion, misuse, and abuse. 

In 2011, the Office of National Drug Control Policy released the prescription drug abuse 

prevention plan, Epidemic: Responding to America’s Prescription Drug Abuse Crisis, which 

expands upon the Administration’s National Drug Control Strategy. The plan outlines action in 

four major areas to reduce prescription drug abuse: 

 Education. A crucial first step in tackling the problem of prescription drug abuse is to 

educate parents, youth, and patients about the dangers of abusing prescription drugs while 

requiring prescribers to receive training in the safe and appropriate use of these drugs. 

 Monitoring. Implement prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) in every state, 

and enhance PDMPs to make sure they can share data across states and are used by 

healthcare providers. 

 Proper Medication Disposal. Develop convenient and environmentally responsible 

prescription drug disposal programs to help reduce prescription drug diversion.

 Enforcement. Provide law enforcement with the tools necessary to eliminate improper 

prescribing practices and reduce “pill mills” and “doctor shopping.”

The complete plan can be found here: 

http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/prescriptiondrugs/ 

Classes of Prescription Drugs 

The most commonly misused prescription drugs fall into three classes:3

 Opioids include oxycodone (Percocet, Tylox, OxyContin), hydrocodone (Vicodin, Lortab), 

and methadone (Dolophine). 

 Central nervous system (CNS) depressants include butalbital (Fiorinal/Fioricet), 

diazepam (Valium), and alprazolam (Xanax). 

 Stimulants include methylphenidate (Ritalin) and amphetamine/dextroamphetamine 

(Adderall). 

Prescription Drug Abuse Fast Facts

 Among 12th graders, pharmaceutical drugs used non-medically are six of the ten mostused substances.4

 From 1998 to 2008, the proportion of all substance abuse treatment admissions age 12 or 

older who reported any pain reliever abuse increased more than fourfold.5

 Prescription painkillers are considered a major contributor to the total number of drug 

deaths. In 2007, for example, nearly 28,000 Americans died from unintentional drug 

poisoning, and of these, nearly 12,000 involved prescription pain relievers.6
ONDCP seeks to foster healthy individuals and safe communities by effectively 

leading the Nation’s effort to reduce drug use and its consequences.

April 2011

.

2,567

2,361

2,179

1,226 1,110

813 702 617

337

186 180

45

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

Number of New Users(Thousands)

New Users in the Past Year of Specific Illicit Drugs

Among Persons Aged 12 or Older, 2009

Note: The specific drug refers to the drug that was used for

the first time, regardless of whether it was the first

drug used.

*

*Includes pain relievers, tranquilizers, stimulants, and sedatives

Source:  SAMHSA, 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (September 2010).

 Nearly one-third (29 percent) of people age 12 or older who used illicit drugs for the first 

time in the past year began by using prescription drugs non-medically.7

According to a 2008 Department of Defense survey, about one in nine active-duty service 

members (11 percent) reported past-month prescription drug misuse.8



 The estimated number of 

emergency department visits 

linked to non-medical use of 

prescription pain relievers 

nearly doubled between 

2004 and 2009.9

In 2009, the number of firsttime, non-medical users of 

psychotherapeutics 

(prescription opioid pain 

relievers, tranquilizers, 

sedatives, and stimulants) 

was about the same as the 

number of first-time 



marijuana users (see chart, above).10

 Approximately two million adults age 50 and older (2.1 percent of adults in that age 

range) used prescription-type drugs non-medically in the past year.11

Substance abuse treatment admissions for individuals age 50 or older nearly doubled 

from 1992 to 2008, climbing from 6.6 percent of all admissions to 12.2 percent. The 

percentage of primary admissions for prescription drug abuse among older individuals 

increased from 0.7 percent to 3.5 percent over the same time period.12



                                                           

1 Results from the 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH): National Findings, SAMHSA (2010). 2 Results from the 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH): National Findings, SAMHSA (2010). 3 All brand names and trademarks are properties of their respective holders. 4

 2010 Monitoring the Future, University of Michigan (2010).

5 Substance Abuse Treatment Admissions Involving Abuse of Pain Relievers: 1998 and 2008, SAMHSA (2010). 6 Unintentional Drug Poisoning in the United States, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention, July 2010. 

7 Results from the 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH): National Findings, SAMHSA (2010). 8 2008 Department of Defense Survey of Health Related Behaviors Among Active Duty Military Personnel, Bray, et al. (September 2009). 9 Highlights of the 2009 Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) Findings on Drug-Related Emergency Department Visits, SAMHSA (December 

2010). 

10 Results from the 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH): National Findings, SAMHSA (2010). 11 The NSDUH Report, Illicit Drug Use Among Older Adults, SAMHSA (December 29, 2009). 12 The TEDS Report, Changing Substance Abuse Patterns among Older Admissions: 1992-2008, SAMHSA (2009). 
ONDCP seeks to foster healthy individuals and safe communities by effectively 

leading the Nation’s effort to reduce drug use and its consequences.

April 2011

Office of National Drug Control Policy

www.WhiteHouseDrugPolicy.gov

www.TheAntiDrug.com

www.AboveTheInfluence.com