Commonly Abused Prescription Drugs
The prescription drugs that are commonly abused in the United States fall into several broad categories: opioids/narcotics/pain relievers, depressants, and stimulants. Individuals abuse these drugs because they are an easily accessible and inexpensive means of altering a user's mental and physical state; the effects vary depending upon the drugs they abuse.
If you or a member of your family has a prescription for any of the following, extra vigilance is recommended for these commonly abused drugs:
Painkillers:
Vicodin, Tylenol with Codeine, OxyContin, Percocet
Depressants:
Klonopin, Nembutal, Soma, Valium, Xanax
Stimulants:
Adderall, Concerta, Dexedrine, Ritalin
Did You Know? Adolescents are at a greater risk for addiction to OxyContin than adult users of the narcotic prescription drug. And, adolescent OxyContin
addiction "results in lasting functional changes in the developing adolescent brain." Source: Neuropsychopharmacology, Sept. 10, 2008 issue published by Rockefeller University research
