Most Young People Abusing Prescription Pain Drugs Begin at Age 16

May 16, 2012 2:56 PM Topics: Controlled substances and Prescription drug abuse

An estimated one in 30 to 40 teens began using prescription opioids non-medically at age 16, according to a new study. Researchers used data from the 2004 to 2008 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) to determine when youth are most likely to start using prescription pain relievers to get high or for other non-medical uses. “They found that the greatest risk for starting to misuse these drugs occurred at age 16, when an estimated 2.8% become new users,” as reported by MedPage Today. In comparison, the study showed that 0.5% of 12-year-olds “reported new nonmedical use of prescription painkillers, as did 1.1% of 21-year-olds.” The study concluded that educational efforts aimed for those in their senior year of high school may be insufficient. The article, “Extramedical Use of Prescription Pain Relievers by Youth Aged 12 to 21 Years in the United States” was published in the May 7, 2012, issue of the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.