Prescription Drugs
Most people who take prescription medications use them responsibly. However, the inappropriate or nonmedical use of prescription medications is a serious public health concern.Fact Sheets
- 5 Myths About ADHD Drugs
- Benzodiacepinas
- Drug Facts: Benzodiazepines
- Drug Facts: Fentanyl
- Hechos Sobre Las Drogas: El Fentanilo
- Informacion Sobre Medicamentos Recetados Y De Venta Libre
- Let's Work Together to Combat Prescription Drug Misuse
- Proper Disposal of Prescription Drugs
- Qué Es El Fentanilo?
- Talking With A Child About Alcohol, Tobacco & Other Drugs
- Treatments For Opioid Use Disorder
- Warning Signs of Alcohol and Substance Misuse
Research & Statistics
- Connecticut SEOW Prevention Data Portal
Search, view, and access 200+ indicators relevant to substance use/misuse, mental health, suicide, gambling, and social determinants of health. Explore 30+ data sets relevant to behavioral health, each with multiple visualization capabilities, downloadable data, and metadata.
- Nonmedical Use of Adderall® among Full-Time College Students - National Survey on Drug Use and Health Report (SAMHSA)This issue of The NSDUH Report examines the rates of nonmedical use of Adderall® among full-time college students aged 18 to 22 and comparably aged persons who were not full-time college students. All findings presented in this report are annual averages based on combined 2006 and 2007 data.
- Prescription Painkiller Overdoses in the US - Centers for Disease Control and PreventionProvides information and statistics on the non-medical use of prescription drugs and the impact on public health.
- PubMed
PubMed comprises more than 20 million citations for biomedical literature from MEDLINE, life science journals, and online books. Citations may include links to full-text content from PubMed Central and publisher web sites.
- Research Data, Measures & Resources - NIDA
Links to various NIDA publications, databases, surveillance, prevention & treatment resources, and more.
Self-Help Groups
Locate a Treatment Facility
Prescription medications such as pain relievers, tranquilizers, stimulants, and sedatives are very useful treatment tools but sometimes people do not take them as directed and may become addicted. Pain relievers make surgery possible, and enable many individuals with chronic pain to lead productive lives. Most people who take prescription medications use them responsibly. However, the inappropriate or nonmedical use of prescription medications is a serious public health concern. Nonmedical use of prescription medications like opioids, central nervous system (CNS) depressants, and stimulants can lead to addiction, characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use.
Patients, healthcare professionals, and pharmacists all have roles in preventing misuse and addiction to prescription medications. For example, when a doctor prescribes a pain relief medication, CNS depressant, or stimulant, the patient should follow the directions for use carefully, learn what effects the medication could have, and determine any potential interactions with other medications. The patient should read all information provided by the pharmacist. Physicians and other healthcare providers should screen for any type of substance abuse during routine history-taking, with questions about which prescriptions and over-the-counter medicines the patient is taking and why. Providers should note any rapid increases in the amount of a medication needed or frequent requests for refills before the quantity prescribed should have been used, as these may be indicators of abuse.
Commonly Abused Prescription Medications
While many prescription medications can be abused or misused, these three classes are most commonly abused:
Opioids - often prescribed to treat pain.
CNS Depressants - used to treat anxiety and sleep disorders.
Stimulants - prescribed to treat narcolepsy and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder.