Prescription Drug Abuse in College Is on the Rise

(Jewish Journal, January 31) Besides alcohol, college students are known to recreationally consume marijuana, over-the-counter drugs, prescription medications, as well as “party drugs”, such as ecstasy.

Society seems to tolerate these types of experimentation, given the fact college is a time when students get exposed to increased amounts of stress while exploring the world and their personal identities. Be it an academic success or the fear of not achieving any admirable social status, students experience a lot of emotional and mental strain, which drives them to seek out different methods of unwinding. Unfortunately, more often than not, they develop unhealthy coping mechanisms. Getting high on prescription drugs (i.e. using medications non-medically) is one of them: according to the report by the Ohio State University, 67.5% of students did so in college. The biggest problem here is that these drugs are easily accessible, while the “innocent” experimentation can turn into an addiction. Read more.