Prescription Opioid Abuse Can Lead to Heroin Abuse
May 03, 2012
You may have heard marijuana referred to as a “gateway drug,” meaning that it can open doors to other kinds of drug abuse. But did you know that prescription painkillers can be gateway drugs to heroin? Read More »
11 CommentsPrescription Drug Abuse: What's the Big Deal?
December 10, 2010
Lots of people are prescribed prescription drugs like OxyContin or Vicodin to help with pain from an injury or surgery. When taken as prescribed, these medications are safe; but when abused, they can be highly addictive and dangerous—even deadly. Read More »
39 Comments
Real Teens Ask: What Are Opioids?
June 07, 2010
Teens have a lot of questions about drugs, which is why NIDA holds an annual Drug Facts Chat Day to explain the science behind drug abuse. Read More »
19 Comments
Life is Complicated Enough: Why Add Prescription Drugs to the Mix?
September 02, 2009
As a public health analyst at NIDA, one of my jobs is to look at data and help get information out to the public. When I heard that about 1 in 10 high school seniors had used the pain medicine Vicodin last year without a prescription, I knew there was a problem. Read More »
24 Comments