What can I do about this problem?

Think about your home. What prescription 

and over-the-counter drugs do you have? 

Where are they kept? Would you know if 

some were missing? The good news is 

that you can take steps immediately to limit 

access to these drugs and help keep your 

teen drug-free:

1. Safeguard all drugs at home.

Monitor quantities and control access.

2. Set clear rules for teens about all drug 

use, including not sharing medicine and 

always following the medical provider’s 

advice and dosages.

3. Be a good role model by following these 

same rules with your own medicines.

4. Properly conceal and dispose of old or 

unused medicines in the trash.

5. Ask friends and family to safeguard their 

prescription drugs as well. 

Talk to your teen about the dangers of 

abusing prescription and over-the-counter 

drugs. These are powerful drugs that, when 

misused, are just as dangerous as illegal 

street drugs. Tell your teen it’s not worth 

the risk.

To learn more about teen prescription 

drug abuse, visit www.TheAntiDrug.com 

or call 1-800-788-2800 to request free 

materials. For information about a drug 

treatment center close to you, visit 

www.findtreatment.samhsa.gov or call 

the SAMHSA Health Information Network 

(SHIN) at the number listed above.

National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign 

Office of National Drug Control Policy

Although illicit drug use 

by teens is declining, now 

there’s a threat from the 

family medicine cabinet:

Parents and caregivers

are the first line of defense in

addressing this troubling trend

The abuse of prescription

and over-the-counter drugs

What are the brand names of 

some of these drugs?

Painkillers: Vicodin, Tylenol with Codeine,

OxyContin, Percocet

Depressants: Klonopin, Nembutal, Soma,

Valium, Xanax

Stimulants: Adderall, Concerta, Dexedrine,

Ritalin

OTCs: Coricidin HBP Cough and Cold,

Robitussin, Vicks Formula 44 

 Cough Relief, and others

Prescription drugs provide benefits when 

used correctly under the care of a health 

provider. But when abused, they can be just 

as dangerous as illicit drugs. 

Where are teens getting 

prescription and

over-the-counter drugs?

Seventy percent of people age 12 and older 

who abuse prescription painkillers say they 

get them from relatives and friends. Others 

may abuse their own prescription medicine. 

Teens also report that these drugs are not 

hard to find. About 36 percent of 12th

graders say that painkillers are fairly or very 

easy to get, and nearly half say the same of 

stimulants.

How can I tell if my teen is 

abusing these drugs?

Some signs that your teen might be using 

prescription and/or over-the-counter drugs 

include constricted pupils, slurred speech, 

or flushed skin. Other signs and symptoms 

may vary, but parents should be alert to the 

following: personality changes, mood swings, 

irritability, excessive energy, sleepiness or 

avoiding sleep, sweating, loss of appetite, 

forgetfulness, or clumsiness.

Watch for signs around the house such as 

missing pills, unfamiliar pills, or empty cough 

and cold medicine bottles or packages. If your 

teen has a prescription, keep control of the 

bottle. Be alert to your teen running out of pills 

quickly, losing pills, or requesting refills.

Other signs might include secretiveness, loss 

of interest in personal appearance, borrowing 

money or having extra cash, skipping classes, 

or not doing well in school.
What’s the problem?

Teens are abusing some prescription and 

over-the-counter (OTC) drugs to get high. 

This includes painkillers, such as those 

drugs prescribed after surgery; depressants, 

such as sleeping pills or anti-anxiety drugs; 

and stimulants, such as those drugs 

prescribed for attention deficit hyperactivity 

disorder (ADHD). Teens are also abusing 

over-the-counter drugs, such as cough and 

cold remedies. 

Every day, 2,200 youth age 12 to 17 abuse 

a pain reliever for the very first time. More 

teens abuse prescription drugs than any 

illicit drug except marijuana. In 2008, nearly 

2 million teens age 12 to 17 reported abusing 

prescription drugs. Among 12- and 13-yearolds, prescription drugs are their drug of 

choice.

Because these drugs are so readily available, 

teens who wouldn’t otherwise touch illicit 

drugs might abuse prescription drugs. And 

not many parents are talking to them about 

it, even though teens report that parental 

disapproval is a powerful way to keep them 

away from drugs.

What are the dangers?

There are serious health risks. Emergency 

room visits involving prescription and overthe-counter drug abuse grew 81 percent 

from 2004 to 2008. A single large dose of 

prescription or over-the-counter painkillers or 

depressants can cause breathing difficulty that 

can lead to death. Stimulant abuse can lead to 

hostility or paranoia, or the potential for heart 

system failure or fatal seizures. Even in small 

doses, depressants and painkillers have subtle 

effects on motor skills, judgment, and ability 

to learn, which can increase the risk of injury. 

The abuse of over-the-counter cough and 

cold remedies can cause blurred vision, 

nausea, vomiting, dizziness, coma, and even 

death. In 2004, nearly half of all emergency 

room visits resulting from abuse of cough 

or cold remedies were patients between the 

ages of 12 and 20.

Many teens report mixing prescription drugs, 

over-the-counter drugs, and alcohol. Using 

these drugs in combination can cause 

respiratory failure and death.

Many of these drugs can be addicting. 

Between 1997 and 2007, the number of 

treatment admissions for prescription 

painkillers increased by more than 400 

percent. Teens who first abuse prescription 

drugs before age 16 also have a greater risk 

of drug dependence later in life.

70%

obtained from friend

or relative

Source: SAMHSA, 2008 National Survey on 

Bought from friend or relative Drug Use and Health (September 2009).

Took from friend or relative w/o asking

Bought from drug dealer

Other source

From one 

doctor

Free from friend or relative

56%

18%

8%

4%

5%

9%

Source of Pain Relievers for 

Most Recent Nonmedical Use 

Among Past Year Users