Prescription Drug Misuse in Young People: What Every Parent and Educator Needs to Know

Why Prescription Drug Misuse in Young People Deserves Serious Attention

When most people think about drug misuse in teenagers and young adults, they picture illegal substances bought on the street. But a quieter, less-discussed problem has been growing steadily across the UK: the misuse of prescription and over-the-counter medicines. Because these drugs come in familiar packaging, are often found in the family bathroom cabinet, and carry a sense of medical legitimacy, many young people, and the adults around them, do not immediately recognise their misuse as dangerous.

Prescription drug misuse in young people refers to taking a medication that was not prescribed to you, taking a higher dose than prescribed, using a medicine in a way it was not intended, or using it specifically to get high or manage emotions without medical guidance.

Which Prescription and Over-the-Counter Drugs Are Most Commonly Misused?

Codeine and Opioid-Based Painkillers

Codeine misuse in young people is one of the most significant issues facing UK health services. Codeine is an opioid painkiller found in prescription medicines as well as some over-the-counter products such as certain cough syrups and combination painkillers. It produces feelings of warmth, calm, and mild euphoria.

The risk of physical dependence develops quickly. A young person who begins taking codeine recreationally can develop a tolerance within weeks. "Lean" or "purple drank," a mixture of prescription cough syrup containing codeine and a fizzy drink, has been glamourised in certain music genres and online spaces.

Benzodiazepines

Benzodiazepines, including diazepam (Valium), lorazepam, and temazepam, are prescribed for anxiety, panic disorders, and sleep problems. When misused recreationally, particularly alongside alcohol, they can cause dangerous respiratory depression. Counterfeit benzodiazepines, often sold as "street Valium," have been linked to a significant number of drug-related deaths in Scotland and increasingly across England and Wales.

Stimulant Medications: Ritalin and Similar Drugs

Medicines prescribed for ADHD, such as methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta) and lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse), have earned the misleading nickname "study drugs." The evidence that they significantly boost academic performance in people without ADHD is weak. They carry real risks including elevated heart rate, increased blood pressure, reduced appetite, anxiety, and dependence. Sharing or selling prescription stimulants is a serious criminal offence.

Over-the-Counter Medicine Misuse

Over-the-counter medicine misuse in the UK extends beyond codeine-containing products. Medicines containing dextromethorphan (DXM) can cause hallucinations in high doses. Antihistamines such as diphenhydramine are sometimes taken in excess for sedative effects.

How Do Young People Access These Medicines?

The Family Medicine Cabinet

The most common source is the home. Medicines prescribed to a parent, grandparent, or sibling are often left in an accessible location.

Peer Sharing and Selling

Young people with legitimate prescriptions sometimes share or sell their medication, especially ADHD medications in school and university settings.

Online Pharmacies and Social Media

Unregulated online pharmacies and social media platforms have made accessing prescription medicines without a legitimate prescription easier than ever. Counterfeit products are particularly dangerous because their contents and potency cannot be verified.

Recognising the Signs of Prescription Drug Misuse

Behavioural and Emotional Changes

Withdrawal, secrecy, irritability, dramatic mood swings, loss of interest in hobbies, unexplained decline in school performance, defensiveness when asked about activities.

Physical Signs

Opioid misuse: small pupils, drowsiness, slowed speech, nausea. Stimulant misuse: hyperactivity, reduced appetite, weight loss, insomnia. Benzodiazepine misuse: slurred speech, unsteady walking, confusion. Missing medicines from household supply.

The Health Risks

The adolescent brain is still developing until the mid-twenties. Regular misuse of opioids can lead to physical dependence, respiratory problems, and overdose death. Benzodiazepine misuse is associated with memory impairment and life-threatening withdrawal. Stimulant misuse raises cardiovascular and anxiety risks. Polydrug use multiplies the risks considerably.

The Legal Position in the UK

Most medicines subject to misuse are controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. Codeine is Class B. Benzodiazepines are Class C. ADHD medications like methylphenidate are Class B. Possessing these without a valid prescription, or supplying them to another person, is a criminal offence. Sharing a prescribed medicine with a friend constitutes supply under UK law.

How Parents and Carers Can Help

Talk Early and Often

Raise the topic of medicines and their risks before misuse begins. Ask open questions. Listen more than you speak. Avoid reacting with immediate anger.

Secure Medicines at Home

Store prescription medicines securely. Dispose of unused or expired medicines safely at a pharmacy.

Support, Not Shame

Shame is ineffective. Misuse often develops in response to pain, pressure, or unmet emotional needs. Address underlying factors alongside the drug use itself.

Harm Reduction

Encourage never mixing substances with alcohol, avoiding using alone, being honest with a GP about what they are taking, and knowing how to respond if someone overdoses. Teach the recovery position. Encourage calling 999 without fear.

Where to Get Help

FRANK: 0300 123 6600 (24/7, free, confidential). talktofrank.com.

NHS 111: for urgent medical advice. 999: for life-threatening emergencies.

Local drug and alcohol services for young people are available through GPs or self-referral. School pastoral staff and counsellors can also provide support.