Teens Opting To Abuse Supermarket Drugs Over Alcohol And Illicit Drugs

Studies reveal that the number of teenagers abusing pharmaceuticals has doubled in recent years.

The ABC reports illicit drug use among teenagers has halved from 2010 to 2013, with only 7.6 per cent of 14 to 19-year-olds now using illegal substances. While those figures have dropped, the use of medicine for non-medical purposes has doubled to 4.4 per cent.

Nicole Lee, Associate Professor of Australia's National Drug Research Institute, said there isn't a clear explanation for what's driving the increase in the misuse of pharmaceuticals.

"Most people think that drugs like paracetamol and ibuprofen are fairly benign, they maybe think they're not very harmful but they can have quite serious health consequences," Lee said.

"If the trend continues, as it has in the US, then we are likely to see a lot more dependence, a lot more overdoses, a lot more ambulance and emergency department visits and the need for a lot more treatment."

Pharmaceuticals can include medication which is readily available at supermarkets but it also refers to prescription medication. Lee points out that not everyone who uses these drugs are doing so to get high, but might be misusing them for other medical purposes. For instance: getting a deep sleep from codeine.

"The pharmaceuticals may be prescribed to them or not prescribed," she says, "and they may combine it with alcohol or illicit drugs."

Experts are worried about lasting effects of these drugs, particularly the risk of overdose and long-term dependency.

Data collected from Victorian ambulances show that there's a far greater number of call-outs for incidences related to paracetamol and ibuprofen, than illicit drugs, like crystal meth or ice.

Lee suggests that we should consider tightening regulations around over the counter drugs, to make them less easily accessible. It's also a matter of starting education early on. "Drug education in schools plays an important part in prevention," she says.

In October 2015, the Therapeutic Goods Administration began a commissioned review into over-the-counter painkillers, to decide whether codeine should be scheduled to prescription-only.

No final decisions have been made just yet due to the high volume of submissions received during the consultation period, but they will be announced in 2017.

If you're concerned at all about drugs or going through a difficult time, visit ReachOut.

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