Prescription Drug Misuse Among Club Drug-Using Young Adults

Abstract

Nonmedical prescription (Rx) drug use has recently increased, particularly among young adults. Using time-space sampling to generate a probability-based sample of club-going young adults (18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28)(29), 400 subjects provided data on Rx drug misuse. Club-going young adults misuse Rx drugs at high rates. An overwhelming majority of the sample indicated lifetime use of pain killers, sedatives, and stimulants. A majority indicated recent pain killer use. Variations by gender and sexuality exist in this population. Young lesbian/bisexual women emerged as the group most likely to abuse Rx drugs. Research into the contexts influencing these patterns is imperative. KeywordsGender; prescription drugs; sexual orientation; youth Prescription (Rx) drug misuse-defined here as the intentional use of a Rx drug taken outside the confines of a doctor's prescription-has emerged as a significant health issue during the past decade (1,2). The rates of past year prescription drug misuse are highest among youth and peaks in the early twenties (1,3). In recent years, lifetime rates of Rx drug abuse exceed levels for most other drugs including cocaine, heroin, and hallucinogens. Rx stimulant misuse among 18-25 year olds has almost doubled in the past decade and Rx sedative misuse is up over 2.5 times (3). Rx pain killer use has more than tripled amongst 18 to 25 year olds in little more than a decade, rising from 7.2% in 1993 to 25.5% in 2005. Motivations for Rx drug misuse are wide ranging, from experimentation to getting high to sleep, or to counterbalance other drugs (4). Information on Rx drug misuse by youth and young adults is sorely lacking, particularly for nontreatment and noncollege student populations.Clubs, as key locations for social life among urban youth, provide contexts for the use of a range of psychoactive substances, including Rx drugs. Club-going youth have reported rates of drug use that greatly exceed that of young adults in general (5). In addition, the emergence Copyright © Informa Healthcare USA, Inc.Address correspondence to Jeffrey T. Parsons, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Psychology, Hunter College of the City University of New York, 695 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10021. E-mail: jeffrey.parsons@hunter.cuny.edu. Publisher's Disclaimer: Full terms and conditions of use: http://www.informaworld.com/terms-and-conditions-of-access.pdf This article maybe used for research, teaching and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, re-distribution, re-selling, loan or sub-licensing, systematic supply or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. The publisher does not give any warranty express or implied or make any representation that the contents will be complete or accurate or up to date. The accuracy of any instructions, formulae and drug doses should be independently verified with primary sources. The publisher shall not be liable for any loss, actions, claims, proceedings, demand or costs or damages whatsoever or howsoever...

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