Nonmedical use of prescription drugs is a growing problem among adolescents and young adults. Three recent articles examine this problem using cross-sectional data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), a representative US sample survey assessing the prevalence, patterns, and consequences of alcohol, tobacco, and illegal drug use.

• Analyzing data from 91,804 persons over age 18 who participated in the survey between 2002–2004, Becker and colleagues found past-year nonmedical use of prescription opioids in 4.5% of subjects, 12.9% of whom met criteria for abuse or dependence. Correlates of nonmedical use included younger age, depressive and anxiety symptoms, cigarette smoking, alcohol misuse, Latino ethnicity, unemployment, and low education attainment.
• Wu and colleagues examined data from 18,678 adolescents aged 12–17 who participated in the 2005 survey and found that 10% reported lifetime nonmedical use of prescription opioids. Of these, 61% had used prescription opioids nonmedically before age 15, and 18% had used them weekly or more in the previous year. Risk factors for lifetime use included age 16–17 (compared with age 12–13), younger age at first drug use, fair or poor health, and 3 or more emergency department visits in the past year. Mental-health service use was a significant correlate for girls.
• In an analysis of the 2003 survey, Simoni-Wastila and colleagues found a 9.3% prevalence of nonmedical prescription drug use by adolescents. They similarly detected a relationship between past-year nonmedical use of prescription drugs with age 16–17, cigarette smoking, and alcohol use.

Comments by Tom Delaney, MSW, MPA
These findings show the prevalence of prescription drug misuse among youth, particularly those with medical, social, and behavioral problems. Substance abuse counselors need to be knowledgeable and vigilant in screening all of their adolescent and young adult patients for prescription drug misuse, particularly if they smoke, drink, use other substances, or have depressive or anxiety symptoms.