Medicine abuse is a national epidemic. More Americans are abusing prescription medicine than ever, and like other types of drug use, problematic behavior often begins during the teen and young adult years.
As shared by the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids, our society has become familiar — and comfortable — with the common use of prescription (Rx) and over-the-counter (OTC) cough medicines. As new medicines for alleviating symptoms come to market, they are heavily promoted with their images advertised in newspapers, magazines, on television and the internet, raising our understanding of the conditions they treat. As a result, teens have grown up associating medicine with solving problems — and have a heightened awareness of Rx and OTC medicines.
