Sharjeel Chaudhry* and Zarmina Ehtesham
The use and abuse of prescription drugs by teenagers is one of the fastest growing drug issues in Pakistan, and it has a significant negative impact on the mental and physical health of adolescents. The majority of drug overdose deaths are attributed to prescription drug abuse. Given that the majority of people believe that illegal drugs like crack, cocaine, and heroin have the highest rate of overdose related deaths, this statistic is shocking. Prescription drug abuse among adolescents is common for many reasons. Some people misuse drugs to get high, to relieve pain, or because they think it will make their schoolwork easier. Opioids, stimulants, and depressants are the three prescription drug classes that are abused most frequently. Adolescents frequently believe that prescription medications are less dangerous than "street drugs" like marijuana, cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine. This kind of ignorance when it comes to abusing prescription medications is typically caused by adolescents not being aware of the numerous adverse effects that can occur if the drug is not administered by a doctor or is combined with other drugs. The seriousness of prescription drug abuse is often overlooked by parents, and many do not talk to their children about it. Even though many of the drugs that teenager’s abuse is considered legal, this does not necessarily mean that they are safer because they often have the same negative side effects as illegal street drugs. Prescription drug is typically just as dangerous and addictive as many street drugs. This study looks into why adolescents abusing prescription drugs is a problem in Pakistan in particular and what is being done to reduce the number of adolescents abusing and overdosing on prescription drugs. Many adolescents' lives could be saved if the general public was made aware that teen substance use is a serious public health issue and that addiction is a medical condition that requires attention.