Prescription Drug Awareness!

Our Goals Familiarize with commonly abused meds Inform about the hazards of addiction and

abuse Provide convincing statistics Increase awareness of the world of

medications

General Statistics 1 in 5 teenagers report having abused a

prescription medication Over 2500 teenagers a day experiment with

prescription medications taken from the home

In 2009 in the United States about 21% of high school students have taken prescription drugs without a prescriptionTaken from WHO

UCI Statistics: Did You Know?

Do you know a UCI student who has taken prescription A.D.D./A.D.H.D. drugs that were not intended for him/her? Freshman: 52% Sophomores: 36% Juniors: 47% Seniors:

58%

Do you know someone who has required the aid of rehab services due to any prescription drug abuse? Freshman: 18% Sophomores: 14% Juniors: 22% Seniors:

15%

Do you know someone who has died due to any prescription drug abuse? Freshman: 6% Sophomores: 5% Juniors: 8% Seniors: 6%

Addiction and Abuse: Definitions

Addiction: physical and psychological dependence on a substance “Disease of brain reward”

Abuse: use of prescription drugs that were not prescribed by a physician or used only for the experience or feeling they cause Also called drug misuse

Pain Killers (Often Opioids)

Binds to opioid receptors in NS and GI tract Decreased perception, decreased reaction,

and increased tolerance to pain HIGHLY abused Morphine, hydrocodone, codiene,

oxycodone, fentanyl, propoxyphene, tramadol

Vicodin (hydrocodone) Vicodin is a combination of

hydrocodone and acetaminophen (Tylenol)

Cheap and overly prescribed (easy to obtain)

Americans spend over $484 billion annually in vicodin addictions.

Vicodin use and addiction is linked to at least half of the major crimes in the US

~10-22% of car crashes involve drivers who use drugs such as Vicodin (NHTSA)

Vicodin addiction showcased in popular television series House

Antidepressants/Anxiety

Mostly SSRIs and SNRIs Inhibit the reuptake of serotonin/

norepinephrine for repeated receptor stimulation

Sertraline, escitalopram, fluoxetine, paroxetine, buproprion

Zoloft (sertraline) Used to treat major

depression as well as OCD and anxiety disorders

Overly prescribed, easy for teenagers to steal from parents

Risk of dependency, suicide, reduced libido

Amphetamines/Psychostimulants

Affect levels of dopamine in the brain “study drugs”: enhances focus,

concentration, attentiveness, confidence, self-esteem

Heavily misused by students Adderall, vyvanse, desoxyn, ritalin

Adderall (amphetamine salts)

Prescribed for ADHD and narcolepsy

Side effects: greatly increases bp, decreased appetite, akathisia, amphetamine psychosis (heavy abuse)

Performance-enhancing use Weight-loss use High risk of dependency

Ritalin (methylphenidate)

Also prescribed for ADHD and narcolepsy

Extensive side effects; hypersensitivity, dyskinesia, tachycardia

High potential for abuse and addiction

Abuse highest among college students (study longer, party longer)

Prevention Medical lock boxes for

home use to prevent unauthorized access to prescription drugs Doesn’t fix anything;

EDUCATE teens about the perils of abuse

Keep in Mind Misuse of these drugs is illegal and will

result in imprisonment and fines (varying severity)

Many harmful drug interactions; makes abuse even more hazardous

Abuse is widespread; hospital, dentistry, pharmacy

Check out our video! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9FN2Do

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