Index IntroductionLiterature ReviewDiscussionConclusionIntroductionDrug abuse has always been a very important problem, but recently prescription drugs have affected many young people. In the journal by Grace Dammann and Esta Soler “Prescription Drug Abuse: A San Francisco Study” it is stated that “prescription” refers to those drugs that can only be obtained with the help of a legal prescription, but the way in which they are obtained it is illegal. Prescription drugs are generally barbiturates, sedatives, minor tranquilizers, and amphetamines. It is really important to address this issue because not only are today's teenagers the future generation, but also because prescription drugs are specially made to help people suffering from some disease. A normal person taking drugs will have many side effects and once they become addicted to them they have a huge chance of overdose. In physician Richard A. Friedman's diary “The Changing Face of Teenage Drug Abuse — The Trend to Prescription Drugs” it is clearly stated that adolescents using illicit drugs such as ecstasy and cocaine have decreased and that abuse has also of alcohol and tobacco is an all-time phenomenon. Bass. But the use of prescription drugs has increased. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get Original EssayLiterature ReviewAs stated above from the journal of Richard A. Friedman, M.D. “The Changing Face of Adolescent Drug Abuse: The Trend toward Prescription Drugs” tells us that illicit drug use by of eighth graders fell by more than a third and 12th graders fell by 10%. It's also very good to know that alcohol and tobacco consumption is at an all-time low, but the sad part comes when we learn that prescription drug use among those teenagers has increased. One of the most commonly abused prescription drugs is oxycodone, which is an opioid pain reliever. About 5.5% of 12th graders are said to have tried oxycodone, and trying is the first step towards becoming addicted to something. The main reason why adolescents and teenagers experience prescription drug abuse is due to the fact that they are easily available off the street, they can be obtained from friends and parents who prescribe them. Adolescence and teenagers who are exposed (meaning their parents, friends, or someone they know take them) to prescription drugs can be their gateway to drug abuse. In addition to oxycodone, stimulants are also very popular among drug-abusing teens. Stimulants generally include medications prescribed for ADHD such as Adderall (amphetamine) and Vvyvance. In the article “Use of medical and non-medical stimulants among adolescents: from sanctioned to non-sanctioned use” by Christiane Poulin some interesting observations are highlighted. A self-report questionnaire was administered to a random sample of students in grades 7,9,10 and 12. With a response rate of 99% (13549) with an average mean age of 15.2 years. It was found that 5.3% of students reported using medical stimulants in the past 12 months while 2.6% reported using them in the past 30 days. Of the 5.3% of students who used stimulants, 14.7% provided them to someone else, 7.3% sold them, 4.3% had the stimulants stolen, and 3.0% were was forced to give them to someone else. From 1990 to 1995, youth were prescribed 3 times more prescriptions, with the largest increase among high school students (311%). The increase in the number is worrying because moreprescriptions will be supplied, more drugs will flow into the gray market, which will be more accessible to young people without a prescription. In the article “Medical and Nonmedical Use of Prescription Drugs Among Secondary School Students3” by Sean Esteban McCabe, Ph.D., MSW, Carol J. Boyd, Ph.D., MSN, and Amy Young, Ph. D. Students in grades 7 through 12 were administered a web-based survey to study prescription drug use (opioids, stimulants, sleeping pills, and sedatives/anxiolytics) among prescribed and nonprescribed users in an ethnically diverse Detroit metropolitan area . Their second goal was to study the abuse of such drugs. It was observed that 17.5% reported both prescribed and non-prescribed use while 3.3% reported only non-prescribed use. The non-prescribed drug most used by students was painkillers (17.7%), followed by sleeping pills (5.9%), seductive drugs (3.5%) and stimulants (2.4%). Women (22.2%) used more non-prescribed medications than men (12.3%). The main reason why girls use more non-prescribed drugs is mainly due to their exposure to the drugs or the fact that they do not seek treatment for their symptoms and get the drugs from their friends or other family members. It was also noted in the study that White 12th grade students (15.9%) were more likely to use non-prescribed opioid medications than African American students (3.5%). Another interesting observation can be seen in the article “ Nonmedical Prescription Drug Use Among Adolescents .” by Jason A. Ford in which he states that students generally take prescription drugs to improve intellectual performance, increase concentration and attention, relieve pain, experiment, and get high. The main source of influence is friends and family. The data collected for this study came from the 2005 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), where there were 18,678 respondents between the ages of 12 and 17. Drugs not prescribed by a doctor have been described by the NSDUH as "use without a doctor's prescription or use by sensation" or experience caused by the drug. The average age of the sample was 14 years. Of the sample, approximately 9% responded to the use of non-prescribed drugs, of which 7% used painkillers, 2% tranquilizers, 2% stimulants and 1% sedatives. It was also observed that students who had a stronger bond with their parents were less likely to use drugs to respect their relationship. It is also interesting to note from this study that females are more likely to suffer from drug abuse (narcotic pain relievers and tranquilizers) than males. There is also a direct link between low-income families and prescription drug abuse, especially children from low-income families are less likely to have good insurance which could lead them to illegally obtain drugs as a last resort and later become employees. In rural areas street drugs are not easily available, so there have been cases where children have been abused by prescription drugs, one of the prescription drugs that has made a name in rural areas is oxycodone, also called " hillbilly heroine". Just like “hillbilly heroin,” another common choice among prescription drugs is Xanax, also known as z-bars, bricks, and Benzo. In the article "The Global Epidemic of Prescription Drug Abuse: The American Experience" by Ferris Roger Byxbe, Martin Guevara Urbina, shows a great study on how prescription drug abuse was reported and traveled in America . According to the Partnership for a Drug-Free America, one in five have admitted to abusing non-prescription drugs and according to the National Survey on Drug”..