Though binge drinking still reigns supreme as the most prevalent form of substance abuse on college campus, the use of prescription pills for non-medical purposes has also become rampant in recent years. Studies have shown that an increasing number of students are turning to these medications – and not necessarily for recreational reasons. Many of these young adults, according to reports, begin misusing prescription pills innocently enough, simply viewing stimulants as a way to give them a competitive edge in class.
To combat this expansive issue, officials from the College of Pharmacy at Ohio State University (OSU) have teamed up with the national Cardinal Health Foundation to develop and release web-based toolkits to inform the general population about the risks of prescription pill use. The latest in this series – known as Generation RX University – is reportedly aimed directly at student abusers.
Assistant dean Ken Hale of OSU's College of Pharmacy told the Columbus-Dispatch that the average age to begin abusing pills is 21 years old.
"It's critical that our colleges and universities do more to help prevent this potentially deadly behavior, and this new toolkit is designed to help them do that," he explained.
So far, the university has released resources to educate teenagers, senior citizens, hospital patients and community developers about prescription pill abuse and the steps that can be taken to address the issue.
This form of substance abuse has garnered considerable media attention in the last few years, and was recently a topic of discussion at the Clinton Global Initiative University 2013 meeting – a conference led by former President Bill Clinton – earlier this month.
If you suspect that someone you love is abusing prescription pills, contact a professional interventionist today. These individuals can help you hold a drug abuse intervention and provide the long-term support that your friend or family member will need as they recover.