Prescription Drug Misuse and Abuse Rising Concerns Nationally and Locally

What Do We Know? 1 in 5 teens (4.4 million) has abused a prescription medication Nearly 1 in 5 teens (4.2 million) has abused a prescription painkiller Every day 2500 teens misuse prescription drugs for the first time (PDFA) Most commonly abused Rx Drugs are:  Painkillers/Opiates (Vicodin, OxyContin)  Depressants (Xanax, Ambien)  Stimulants (Ritalin, Dexedrine)

National Statistics For the first time, there are just as many new abusers (12 and older) of prescription drugs as there are for marijuana. (SAMHSA, 2006) Prescription drugs are the most commonly abused drug among year-olds. (NSDUH, 2006) One in 10 high school seniors has used Vicodin in the the past year (MTF, 2006) 3.5% of 8th-12th graders reported using OxyContin, and six percent reported using Vicodin in the past year. (MTF, 2006) OxyContin use by 8th graders exactly doubled—increasing 100 percent over the last four years (from 1.3% in 2002 to 2.6% in 2006) (ONDCP)

2008 Healthy Youth Survey Data Have you used Prescription Pain Killers “to get high” in the past 30 days? 4.6% in CC and 4% of WA State 8th graders 9.1% in CC and 10% of WA State 10th graders 10.8% in CC and 12% of WA State 12th graders Washington ranked 6 th in the nation for % of people 12 and older mis-using prescription pain relievers (Oregon ranked 4th) Among 12 th graders who abused pain relievers, over half used them three or more times in the past month

WASBIRT DATA

A Look at Access Nationally

Where do youth in Clark County get Prescription Drugs 8 th Graders (4.6%) My own Rx through doctor2.5% A family member gave it to me1.0% Took it without permission1.4% Got it from a friend0.5% Got it from an acquaintance0.5% Got it from a drug dealer0.8% Got it from the internet0.1% Another way0.8% 10 th Graders (9.1%) My own Rx through doctor3.8% A family member gave it to me1.7% Took it without permission2.7% Got it from a friend4.7% Got it from an acquaintance1.3% Got it from a drug dealer0.8% Got it from the internet0.2% Another way1.2%

12 th Grade (10.8%) My own Rx through doctor5.9% A family member gave it to me2.0% Took it without permission2.0% Got it from a friend7.4% Got it from an acquaintance0.9% Got it from a drug dealer1.3% Got it from the internet0.2% Another way1.2% Three in five teens say prescription pain relievers are easy to get from parents’ medicine cabinets Half of teens say they are easy to get through other people’s prescriptions More than half say prescription pain relievers are “available everywhere.” (PATS, 2006)

DASA Rx Info for WA State Youth admissions to DASA-funded treatment for prescription opiates are now 16 times higher than in There were 22 admissions in 2000, and 360 in 2008 In 2008, the Washington State Poison Center received 89 reports of intentional exposure to prescription pain relievers (opiates) by teens. Abuse was the most common motivation, followed by attempted suicide. In 2007, 454 people died of prescription opiate-related overdoses, including three youth. There were only 24 such deaths in

What are Local Experts seeing “Everyday Occurrence” “Some kids will try any drug they find” Youth are mixing Rx drugs with other Rx drugs, alcohol, and other substances and don’t realize the consequences Concerns about the impact of the local pain clinic closing Concerns about high doses of pain meds being prescribed Street value of Rx drugs increasing

Prescription Drug Resources Online: You can find information at:

Sources Cited: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Survey of Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) Monitoring the Future Survey (MTF) Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) Healthy Youth Survey (HYS) Washington State Screening Brief Intervention Referral Treatment (WASBIRT) Partnership Attitude Tracking System (PATS) Washington State Division of Alcohol and Substance Abuse (DASA)