October is National Medicine Abuse Awareness Month, which is observed annually to raise awareness of the dangers of prescription and over-the-counter medicine abuse. Rx drugs are the most commonly abused substances among young adults, next to marijuana. 1 in 5 young adults has abused prescription medicine. Whether they're pain relievers, stimulants, or depressants, young people are using these substances to do anything from sleeping to studying or just to get high.
Misusing prescription drugs means taking prescriptions in ways or amounts not intended by a doctor or taken by someone other than the person they are prescribed for, even if it's a legitimate medical complaint such as pain. Prescription drug misuse can have serious adverse health effects, including overdose, especially when taken along with other drugs or alcohol. (NIDA)
Many teens and young adults still believe that prescription medications are safer to use than illegal drugs, and sadly these medications prove all too easy to get and are as addictive and dangerous as illicit drugs.