'CONTROLLED' SUBSTANCES?

The use of some illegal drugs among American teenagers is falling,
writes Richard A. Friedman. Unfortunately, Dr. Friedman writes in "The
Changing Face of Teenage Drug Abuse - The Trend Toward Prescription
Drugs," in The New England Journal of Medicine, prescription medicines
are now becoming recreational drugs of choice.

In explaining the increase in the recreational use of prescription
drugs, many teenagers draw key distinctions between these drugs and
illicit street drugs. Teenagers whom I interviewed said that whereas
they used illicit drugs only for recreation, they often used
prescription drugs for "practical" effects: hypnotic drugs for sleep,
stimulants to enhance their school performance, and tranquilizers such
as benzodiazepines to decrease stress. They often characterized their
use of prescription drugs as "responsible," "controlled," or "safe."
.

The perception that prescription drugs are largely safe seems to
justify the attitude that occasional use poses little risk. And
indeed, there is little doubt that many more people try drugs than
become serious drug abusers. Still, the fact that 50 percent of
students have tried an illicit drug by the time they finish high
school - another finding of the Monitoring the Future survey - is
nothing to be happy about, not to mention the 5.5 percent of 12th
graders who have tried the highly addictive oxycodone. ...

Moreover, even in small doses, sedatives, hypnotics and opiates have
subtle effects on cognition and motor skills that may increase the
risk of injury, particularly during sports activities or driving. From
a longer-term perspective, the brains of teenagers are still
developing, and the effects of drug abuse may be harmful in ways that
are not yet understood. Do we really want teenagers to think nothing
of popping a pill to relax, get through the tedium of a long homework
assignment, or relieve normal anxieties?