While alcohol abuse and binge drinking still top the list of substance abuse issues on college campuses, the non-medical use of prescription drugs — most notably stimulants, sedatives and pain relievers — is a serious and growing problem. In fact, those of college-age have among the highest rates of prescription drug abuse. About one in four people aged 18 to 20 report using these medications non-medically at least once in their lives, and many more have been offered these medications by friends or fellow students. By sophomore year in college, about half of students’ classmates will have been offered the opportunity to abuse a prescription drug.

The concern is that many students may not even realize that they, their roommate, teammate or friend are misusing or abusing these medications. But doing so can jeopardize their future.

At the same time, early detection efforts to identify students at high risk falls short — less than one third of schools report doing any type of screening for prescription drug problems.

This article is designed to help inform and mobilize college campuses to raise awareness about and address the misuse and abuse of prescription drugs.

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