The Changing Face of Teenage Drug Abuse --- The Trend Toward Prescription Drugs - Article Example

The Changing Face of Teenage Drug Abuse --- The Trend Toward Prescription Drugs” “The Changing Face of Teenage Drug Abuse --- The Trend Toward Prescription Drugs” This article is a summary of Richard Friedman’s “The Changing Face of Teenage Drug Abuse --- The Trend Toward Prescription Drugs” (Friedman, 2006). The article is about the decreasing popularity of the use of illicit drugs among teenagers and the growing trend toward their use of prescription drugs. In a survey conducted by the Monitoring the Future and sponsored by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, whereby 50,000 students in 400 public and private secondary schools in the United States were sampled, the findings reported that the use of illicit street drugs such as cocaine are decreasing in popularity.

The teenagers have now shifted their preference toward nonmedical use of prescription drugs which they say are easier to get hold of than street drugs. Data from the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University reveal that physicians are too lax in prescribing controlled drugs. According to Friedman, teenagers said that they use illicit drugs only for recreation while prescription drugs are for “practical” effects such as stimulants or tranquilizers. Teenagers perceive prescription drugs as safer than street drugs; thus, justifying their attitude that occasional use of such drugs poses little risk.

He stated further that the use of street drugs have declined because of its perceived risk and the disapproval of the society on such drugs, whereas prescription drugs have gained peer approval. Friedman explained the growing confidence in the safety of prescription drugs may be attributed to the media mileage and the increase in internet advertisements of these prescription drugs. Often, prescription drugs are being advertised as something which is important and necessary in our everyday lives.

Its adverse effects are usually not given much attention. Friedman concluded his article by pointing out that parents and educators must address the potential dangers of prescription drug-abuse among teenagers. Reference Friedman, R. (2006). The changing face of teenage drug abuse --- the trend toward prescription drugs. The New England Journal of Medicine 354: 1448-1450. Retrieved 25 April 2011. http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp068010