Study: Prescription drug abuse in teens is on the rise

Experts say that some children start using tobacco and alcohol as well as abusing prescription medicine as early as their middle-school years, reports the Cape Cod Times.

More teens are abusing prescription medications such as Percocet, Suboxone and Xanax, analysts say. However, experts say that teens are beginning to abuse a medicine called Coricidin HBP Cough and Cold Tablets. The medication contains dextromethorphan (DXM), which can cause hallucinations when taken in large doses.

Law enforcement officials in Cape Cod told the news source that the area has experienced a substantial increase in crime due to prescription drugs. However, experts say that opiate painkillers are depressants, making them hard to detect in people who abuse them because they are energized by the drug. Additionally, addicts resort to stealing from family members and selling possessions to fund their habit.

Schools for troubled teens can help adolescents who suffer from addiction receive the care they need to overcome their negative habits and strive towards positive lifestyle ambitions.

According to a 2008 study by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, 1.9 million kids between the ages of 12 and 17 abused prescription drugs.