Teens are popping pills as if they were candy

© December 9, 2007

One night at a party, Bobby swallowed two Xanax and snorted two more. Then he climbed behind the wheel and hit two mail boxes. Later that night, while wandering around, he fell against a brick wall, severely injuring his eye.

Bobby is one of the many teenagers these days who abuses prescription drugs. He and the other teens in this story spoke on condition that their last names be withheld.

Teenagers use drugs for various reasons, such as to concentrate better, to feel numb or simply to just have fun and party with their friends.

"I liked Xanax a lot when I did it," said Bobby, 18. "I had a lot of fun with it."

And while teenagers for years have experimented with drugs such as marijuana and cocaine, they are now making the abuse of prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications part of their culture as well. Though some teens may enjoy the drugs' effects for a while, their use can come back to haunt them.

The Partnership for a Drug-Free America's annual tracking study says one in five teens has abused prescription pain medication, stimulant or tranquilizer.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the three most-abused categories of drugs are opioids, which are used to treat pain; central nervous system depressants, which are used to treat anxiety and sleep disorders; and stimulants, which are used to treat narcolepsy, ADHD and obesity.

Besides Xanax, Bobby said he has abused Oxycodone, OxyContin, Vicodin, Percocet, Valium, Tylenol 3 and Adderall.

"Easy accessibility is the No. 1 thing," said Angela Wilson, a student at Campbell University in central North Carolina. "More and more adults are increasingly taking psychotropic medications. If Mom and Dad are taking... Valium to manage their stress, then it's in the medicine cabinet at home."

Wilson is studying to become a licensed professional counselor and is participating in a yearlong internship at the Cardinal Clinic in Fayetteville.

Wilson said there seems to be a perception that prescription drugs are not as dangerous as illicit drugs.

A 2007 study by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America and the MetLife Foundation found 40 percent of teens and 37 percent of parents think teen abuse of prescription pain killers is safer than the abuse of illicit street drugs.

Besides prescription drugs, teens are using over-the-counter cough and cold medicines, such as Coricidin and Robitussin. Melissa, 15, took one bottle of Robitussin and felt "instantly high."

"Every time you move your arm it would look like it was floating. It was like your arms were going numb," she said.

To get a high from these cough and cold medicines, the abuser must take much more than the prescribed amount. Teens sometimes drink an entire bottle of Robitussin or take eight to 10 Coricidin pills.

Karen Franke, a local Rite Aid pharmacist, said users need to follow the directions and use the medications properly. "Just because something is over the counter doesn't mean it's safe," said Franke, who has been a pharmacist for 15 years.

Rusty Payne, a spokesman for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, said the availability of the drugs is what's causing the abuse. "There are not a ton of bad doctors out there, but some. They write bogus prescriptions for people to get what they want." Some teens may steal prescription pads from their doctors' offices and forge their own prescriptions.

Both Bobby and Melissa have sold prescriptions as well. "I sold Xanax and Percocet," said Bobby, who was prescribed the Percocet after back surgery. "I figured I would make some money."

Melissa, who is prescribed Adderall for ADHD, has sold her pills for $2 apiece. She has also abused Ambien, a drug commonly used to treat insomnia, and experienced hallucinations. "I saw, like, a safari. It was kind of crazy."

While teens can feel good when abusing these drugs, the long-term effects can be harmful and cause unpleasant side effects. If a teen abuses these medications for a long time and then stops, withdrawal symptoms can occur.

The drugs also can be addictive, whether as a physical or psychological addiction. "The potential is there," said Sarah Keasey, a registered nurse at Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital.

Bobby eventually stopped abusing Xanax because he felt himself becoming addicted to it. Melissa stopped using drugs because she got caught.

"If they've quit, they learned the lesson: how dangerous it is to take medicine that isn't prescribed to you," Keasey said. "They matured and decided to do the right thing."

http://hamptonroads.com/2007/12/some-teens...they-were-candy

[Criptin]

Bobby is a deushbag, who apparently is pretty retarded to begin with.

Melissa, 15, took one bottle of Robitussin and felt "instantly high."

Gimme some of this magic tussin damit!

"Just because something is over the counter doesn't mean it's safe," said Franke, who has been a pharmacist for 15 years.

Hes learned so much after 15 years hasnt he?

"If they've quit, they learned the lesson: how dangerous it is to take medicine that isn't prescribed to you," Keasey said. "They matured and decided to do the right thing."

They probably just learned how to not get caught.

[neko]

i like the cut of that Melissa chick's gib.

[Tyutchev]

who the fuck snorts candy?

[dianne]

Originally posted by Tyutchev@Dec 10 2007, 01:46 AM
who the fuck snorts candy?

I'm fairly certain a lot of people snort some really stupid shit. I've known kids who will snort salt or pepper or other random crap around because they thought it was cool or funny or something.

[Reverend Tulasi]

Originally posted by dianne+Dec 10 2007, 05:12 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (dianne @ Dec 10 2007, 05:12 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin--Tyutchev@Dec 10 2007, 01:46 AM
who the fuck snorts candy?

I'm fairly certain a lot of people snort some really stupid shit. I've known kids who will snort salt or pepper or other random crap around because they thought it was cool or funny or something. [/b][/quote]
It's true. In high school, there were a few people who would "never" do drugs yet they would snort Altoids.

[Barack Obama]

Yeah, fuck Bobby.
Why would he tell the interviewers that shit?

Ruin it for the rest of us Bobby, you little shit.

[Varis]

STFU kids!

[Topherrr]

bobby is a poster child for dumbass drug users. don't be like bobby people!

[Ez.nick]