Fewer Teens Abusing Prescription Opioids in 2015, Monitoring the Future Survey Finds

Fewer teens are misusing prescription opioids, according to the 2015 Monitoring the Future Survey. For example, in 2015, 4.4% of high school seniors reported non-medical use of Vicodin^® compared with the peak rate of 10.5% in 2003. However, the study also shows that non-medical use of the prescription amphetamine Adderall^® remains high among 12^th graders, with 7.5% of 12^th graders reporting non-medical use of the drug typically prescribed for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Over 40,000 students in grades 8, 10, and 12 participated in the 2015 survey, which tracks non-medical use of narcotics, amphetamines, and other types of prescription medications, as well as trends in use of tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drugs. The majority of teens abusing prescription opioids reported getting them from friends or family members, and one-third reported getting them from their own prescriptions, indicates a National Institutes of Health press release. The Monitoring the Future Survey is conducted by investigators at the University of Michigan and funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse.