Prescription Drug Abuse / PSA Video

Prescription Drug Abuse / PSA Video. From the public domain. Most people take medicines only for the reasons their doctors prescribe them. But an estimated 20 percent of people in the United States have used prescription drugs for nonmedical reasons. This is prescription drug abuse. It is a serious and growing problem. Abusing some prescription drugs can lead to addiction. You can develop an addiction to:

Narcotic painkillers
Sedatives and tranquilizers
Stimulants
Experts don't know exactly why this type of drug abuse is increasing. The availability of drugs is probably one reason. Doctors are prescribing more drugs for more health problems than ever before. Online pharmacies make it easy to get prescription drugs without a prescription, even for youngsters.

Some people experiment with prescription drugs because they think they will help them have more fun, lose weight, fit in, and even study more effectively. Prescription drugs can be easier to get than street drugs: Family members or friends could have a prescription. But prescription drugs are also sometimes sold on the street like other illegal drugs. A 2006 National Survey on Drug Use and Health showed that among all youths aged 12 to 17, 6% had tried prescription drugs for recreational use in the last month.

Why? Some people think that prescription drugs are safer and less addictive than street drugs. After all, these are drugs that moms, dads, and even kid brothers and sisters use. To Angie, taking her brother's ADHD medicine felt like a good way to keep her appetite in check. She'd heard how bad diet pills can be, and she wrongly thought that the ADHD drugs would be safer.

But prescription drugs are only safe for the individuals who actually have prescriptions for them. That's because a doctor has examined these people and prescribed the right dose of medication for a specific medical condition. The doctor has also told them exactly how they should take the medicine, including things to avoid while taking the drug — such as drinking alcohol, smoking, or taking other medications. They also are aware of potentially dangerous side effects and can monitor patients closely for these.

Other people who try prescription drugs are like Todd. They think they're not doing anything illegal because these drugs are prescribed by doctors. But taking drugs without a prescription — or sharing a prescription drug with friends — is actually breaking the law.

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[ummariam2006]

Well done...very effective video. It simply conveyed the message of the dangers of prescription drugs to the youth. Keep up the good work :)

[rosaryfilms]

@ummariam2006 - thank you very much for your comments!

[Grungexrevival]

I Hate narcotic pain pills. Wisdom teeth out got perc 5/325. After 3 weeks i went back for a follow up visit. My dentist asked me if i wanted more. Remember this is three weeks later my pain stopped after 3 days. Of course i said yes cause i liked them and how they made me feel,after that i haven't stopped using them since. I feel they are perscribed to freely, almost like some doctors are unaware.

[makeiteasyable]

Experts don't know exactly why this type of drug abuse is increasing

[cluth2017]

Thumbs up for WEED

[germicidalcheese]

This video makes me wanna bang a dilaudid. :D

Sorry, bad joke.

[sleepytrucker252]

I think anything narcotic should only be given to anyone under 18, during hospital stays in exponentially regulated rates. These things are in the face of kids everywhere, like never before, its going to kill and or ruin the lives of hundreds of thousands if not millions. The Government, state and local law enforcement are now aware and worried, but I really think even given their state of alert, they only are really aware of a small fraction. I would say One in 10 households don't have them.

[waitingforagoodguy]

I have two types of arthritis. With out these pain meds I couldn't walk much less show interest in anything else, because when you are in pain that takes presidence over everything else. When I don't have my pain meds I feel painful and flat. Listless.I worry that I may enjoy my pain meds too much. They seem to be the only comfort I experience in this dreary life. Without pain meds I am depressed and lethargic. With them.... I am invinsible. If they cut mine out.... I wouldn't make it.