Mike+G.

====Prescription drugs are used by people everyday to treat many diffren't diseaes, infections, etc. And While these drugs are mean't to help people, sometimes they end up hurting them. Prescription drugs are dangerous when they are taken without a prescription. They have high risks of overdose, they are addictive, and they are somtimes lethal when they are mixed. Prescription drugs are abused alot by teens and they are hazardous to there health. This is an issue that needs to be solved before it gets out of hand (Kowalski).====

=__Prescription Drug Abuse Info__:= Check out this video that talks about the dangers of abusing prescription drugs. =__​media type="youtube" key="3s3Bv41oKcY" height="277" width="360" Prescription Drug Statistics: __= = = = =




 * "15 million americans used prescription drugs in 2003".
 * "Advocates say that prescription drugs are crushed, sniffed, inhaled, injected, or smoked when people are abusing them".
 * "13% of teens have used prescription drugs without a prescription"(Surveys Reveal Teen Prescription-Drug Abuse).

=__Prescription Drug Abuse 1970's-Present__=

====Prescription drug abuse has been a growing problem since the late 1970's, and it has only since increased in the early 1990's. So as you can see the abuse of prescription drugs has been around for quite some time and is still around today. From 1992 until 2001, when the number of Ritalin abusers wen't up, after 2001 all the way to 2008 the nuber of Ritalin abusers has decreased. However that is just one example, there are still many other type of prescrption drugs that are abused daily. Such drugs as Vicodin and Oxycontin, these two drugs have been abused much more then other prescription drugs and the abuse of these drugs started in the mid 2000's. The abuse of prescription drugs is as prevelent today as it was years ago, and it is an on going problem that needs a solution(Clemmitt).====

=__How Someone Becomes Addicted:__=

====Becoming addicted to prescription drugs is just becoming addicted to other kinds of drugs that our avalible to teens and others. Teens get the drugs without a prescription from a dealer, friend, etc and they start using the drugs over time and increase the amount they are taking because the body starts to need more and more of the drug to get the same feeling over and over again. This can cause terrible health risks to teens when prescription drugs are used in such high doses(Meadows). However the prescription drugs that they choose depends on how dangerous the drug is. Basically teens won't take presciption drugs that they have heard to have killed people. but they will take drugs that they have heard are fine. No prescription drugs are mean't to be taken without a prescription or in such high doses. So even though a teen has heard that the drug won't cause any harm, it should still not be taken(Clemmitt).====

=__Effects Of Prescription Drugs:__=

Drugs such as "Tranquilizers, barbituates, and narcotics all slow the central nervous system." If these drugs are abused, they can have bad side affects such as...(Kowalski).
 * Confusion
 * Memory problems
 * Loss of coordination
 * Impaired judgement(Kowalski)

Other prescription drugs such as stimulants "speed up the nervous system." These drugs also have bad side affects which include...(Kowalski).


 * Sleep disorders
 * Irritability
 * Aggresion
 * Hyperactivity(Kowalski)

As you can see drugs pose many risks and have many bad side affects that occur when they are abused. However the worst effects that these drugs can give you are when they are mixed. This is called a "synergistic effect". When you combine a prescription drug with another prescription drug or alchol it can make the risks of abusing these drugs even greater. Pluse when a teen is abusing a prescription drug, there judgment might not be as good as when they weren't, thus they would be more dangerous to themselves and others(Kowalski).

=__Concluson:__=

Prescription drug abuse is just as serious as abusing other drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, alchol, etc. It has the ability to seriuosly harm or even kill the person who is abusing them. If you or somone you know is abusing prescription drugs in any way, then you should encourage them to seek out help whether that is from a rehab clinic or from there own doctor. Because if a problem like this goes unnoticed for to long, then there could be very serious risks that follow. Don't let you or other teens think that just because these drugs are from a doctor that they are safe, because there not. Get a clue, and put an end to prescription drug abuse.

=__Links:__=

Here are some links to sites for more info on prescription drug abuse.

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=__Work Cited:__= Clemmitt, M. (2009, October 9). Medication abuse. //CQ Researcher //,  //19 //  , 837-860. Retrieved February 11, 2010, from CQ Researcher Online, http://library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/cqresrre2009100905. Kim Hone-McMahan. "When Kids Raid the Medicine Cabinet." Chicago Tribune (Chicago, IL) 22 Nov 2009: 30. //SIRS Researcher.// Web. 11 February 2010. Kowalski, Kathiann M. "Society Needs To Be Aware of Teens' Prescription Drug Abuse." //Opposing Viewpoints: Teens at Risk//. Ed. Christine Watkins. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2009. //Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center //. Gale. 11 Feb. 2010 San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2003. //Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center //. Gale.11 Feb. 2010 Issues & Controversies On File: // n. pag. //Issues & Controversies //. Facts On File News Services, 22 July 2005. Web. 11 Feb. 2010. .