ipl-logo

Persuasive Essay On Prescription Drug Abuse

1586 Words7 Pages

“Every day in the U.S., 2,500 youth (ages 12 to 17) abuse a prescription pain reliever for the first time” (drug-free world, 2015).
According to a 2007 report performed by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, a lack of parental involvement has been demonstrated to cause a negative impact on teens and increase their odds of prescription drug abuse; and of those teens that abuse prescription medications, over half are likely to expand into alcohol abuse and experimentation with illegal substances like marijuana, heroin, Ecstasy and cocaine than teens who do not abuse prescription drugs (CASA, 2008)
Prescription medications are prescribed by physicians to treat or relieve painful symptoms and are intended …show more content…

Many of today’s youth see other young people in movies and tv shows taking their parent’s or friend’s prescriptions to feel high or euphoric, but aren’t aware of their risks (Elliott, & others, 2008).
Why do teens take prescription drugs?
Your teens might take prescription drugs to alleviate societal pressures to fit in, escape problems of stress and anxiety, rebel against authority, or simply to experiment because drugs have mind and mood¬ altering properties, believing the harm couldn’t outweigh the possible benefits, nevertheless these so called ''wonder drugs" on the market aren’t the answer, though many eventually become the problem (Wilson, & others, 1999).
Factual education of prescription drug abuse must be presented to them in a way that offers them an understanding of the health risks.
MAKE SURE YOUR TEEN GETs THE …show more content…

Alternative names: Roxy, OxyContin, and Captain Cody.
Short-term effects: disorientation, muddied or cloudy thinking, drowsiness, and possible frightening hallucinations.
Long-term effects: harshness of voice, decreased testosterone levels, infertility and physical dependence and withdrawal symptoms as a result of long-term continued abuse.
• Stimulants: are often prescribed for people with ADD to increase a person’s energy levels, attention span, as well as alertness, and may be prescribed to elevate blood pressure, heart rate, and respiration.
Alternative names: Uppers, Hearts, and R-ball.
Short-term effects: temporary increased levels of stamina that quickly leading to exhaustion, malaise, and depression.
Long-term effects: may cause feelings of paranoia, restlessness and can lead to addiction.
• Antidepressants: are psychiatric prescription medications prescribed to elevate feeling of depression.
Alternative names: Xan-bars, Xanies, and Handle bars.
Short-term effects: feelings of agitation, insomnia, or suicidal thoughts.
Long-term effects: may cause cognitive decline, impaired gastrointestinal functioning, and difficulty

Show More
Related
577 Words | 3 Pages

Its onset ranges from 2-7 hours and the after effects can last from 12-36 hours. Some of the drug’s positive and short-term effects to the consumer include a lifted mood, positive hallucinations, and an increase in energy. However, some of the negative side effects include short-term memory loss, confusion, muscle tension, decreased appetite, and visual distortion. While there are many short-term effects to this drug, there have been no documented long-term risks due to its lack of chemical research. This may be caused by the fact that it is a chemical that does not have a lot of history regarding human use.

Read More
1823 Words | 8 Pages

Prescription drugs pose many health risks including both short term and long term side effects. Every prescription information sheet from any local pharmacy lists a plethora of warnings, cautions, and possible side effects. In many cases, the patient is forced to wonder if the prescription drug will help their illness, or cause further medical issues. Side effects that are considered “mild” are still troubling. Side effects such as drowsiness, sleeplessness, muscle pain, dizziness, nausea and bouts of depression may not appear to be harmful but can cause serious consequences.

Read More
437 Words | 2 Pages

• Irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia). • Short-term memory loss that may be permanent. In the most severe cases, symptoms include: • Coma. • Seizures.

Read More
443 Words | 2 Pages

Physicians themselves may not always have the correct training on how to recognize an addiction to the drugs that they are prescribing. The problem that makes combating a painkiller addiction so difficult is that the only person who knows with certainty that there is an addiction is the abuser; however, with proper public education on the dangers, and risks of painkiller abuse, communities can be proactive in stopping prescription drug addictions. The first action that should be taken is not to place blame on one person, or group, for the abuse of prescribed pain medication. In the situation of who’s at fault for prescription painkiller abuse, the answer is no one person. The fault for abuse cannot be targeted towards anyone

Read More
1689 Words | 7 Pages

America is in the midst of an epidemic that is growing at an exponential rate: opioid addiction. Despite laws and regulations, the use and abuse of opioids is increasing at an alarming rate, raising the death toll with it. America’s opioid epidemic affects the the lives of roughly two million citizens and counting each year. Contrary to past popular belief, Doctors and pharmaceutical corporations are among the largest distributors of opioid substances and deadly narcotics. Painkillers prescribed by doctors are some of the most addictive and deadly substances in the narcotic industry.

Read More
775 Words | 4 Pages

The pros of Adderall is that General increase in happiness, more likely open to conversation, high self-esteem, increase in confidence, and motivation. In addition it almost completes the absence of negative thoughts. On the other hand the cons of Adderall can be harmful in the long run especially for students who consume the drug on daily basis. The cons of the drug are unstable heartbeats, passing out, increased blood flow and tremors. Side effects that are less serious include the dryness of the oral area, unable to sleep, loss of appetite, diarrhea and loss of interest in sexual intercourse.

Read More
431 Words | 2 Pages

As the documentary mentioned, "Prescription Drug Abuse is currenteltly the fastest growing epidemic in the U.S. Beliefs of teen youth such as presciption drugs being "much safer" than illegal drugs, and not addictive have lead to teen recreational use. Teens feel the drugs are easier to obtain through a doctor, parents medicine cabinet, or friends prescription. Due to the untrue beliefs about prescriton drugs and ease of obtaining them they can be easily abused. Prescription drugs make you feel good, loosen you up, and allow you to "fit in. " Most teens are going thorugh a crtitical stage of brain development in which they feel misunderstood, and rebel.

Read More
529 Words | 3 Pages

In 2016 59,000 to 65,000 people died from drug overdoses just in the U.S. (NewYorkTime)In Austin Frakt article he states “ Opioids now cause more deaths than any other drug, more than 16,000 in 2010.” The rate of which teenagers use drugs is a “tremendous increase”(Frakt). Patients with chronic pain use opioids which are highly addictive. Opioid misuse is becoming greater each day. It is having a negative impact on our society because a lot of lives have been taken through the misuse of opioids, which will continue to affect humans negatively as time goes on.

Read More
535 Words | 3 Pages

Beginning with the short term effects, steroid use can cause mental problems. Paranoia, extreme irritability, delusions, and impaired judgement can all be side effects. “Extreme mood swings can, also occur, including ‘roid rage’ - angry feelings and behavior that may lead to violence” (Anabolic Steroids). Some may say the long term complications are even more disturbing. In fact, this can cause stunted growth and height in teens.

Read More
849 Words | 4 Pages

Drugs such as Adderall is help for health purposes but taking it incorrectly or too much can cause major harm to the body. Everyday Health warns,“Adderall can increase your risk for heart problems, high blood pressure, and stroke. If the person taking Adderall has a history of a heart defect or other heart problems, there is a risk for sudden death.” It can also damage the mind and create mental problems that were not there before taking the medication. “Adderall may increase your risk for mental health problems, including depression, bipolar disorder, and unusual behaviors including aggressive or hostile behavior.

Read More
1036 Words | 5 Pages

According to Michael Klein, “The most prescription drugs that are commonly misused are opioids, tranquillizers, sedatives, and hypnotics.” Unintentional overdose deaths involving opioid pain relievers have quadrupled since 1999 and have outnumbered those involving heroin and cocaine since 2002. (Klein). The reason some people abuse opioids is just to “get high”.

Read More
1589 Words | 7 Pages

With the prevalence of prescription drug abuse among adolescents in the United States, nurses and other healthcare providers play a huge part in combating this issue. There is a broad range of factors and motivations associated with the abuse of prescription drugs, and oftentimes teens and young adults have a misconception that prescribed medications are safe, even when used illicitly. Nurses can aid this epidemic through the education of adolescents, forming trusting relationships with patients, and advocating for this issue. Background Prevalence

Read More
761 Words | 4 Pages

Students result to heavier drug use to counteract the symptoms they will experience. After teens use drugs for an extended period of time, they will begin experiencing long term

Read More
428 Words | 2 Pages

The other side effects are acne, development of female like breast in men, “roid rage”, toxicity of the liver and many more.  Beside of the bad side

Read More
902 Words | 4 Pages

This leads to dependence and addiction for those users of the drug. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, 43 percent of ecstasy users become dependent on the drug. Users are aware of the negative consequences of ecstasy, but their dependence on it prevents them from stopping to use the drug. However, Ecstasy is used medicinally to relieve victims of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It allows them to relive their depressing experiences more easily in order to overcome the disorder.

Read More

More about Persuasive Essay On Prescription Drug Abuse

Related Topics

Open Document