Research Summary and Comments Nonmedical use of prescription drugs is a growing problem among adolescents and young adults. Three recent articles examine this problem using cross-sectional data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), a representative US sample survey assessing the prevalence, patterns, and consequences of alcohol, tobacco, and illegal drug use. Analyzing data from 91,804 persons over age 18 who participated in the survey between 2002–2004, Becker and colleagues found past-year nonmedical use of prescription opioids in 4.5% of subjects, 12.9% of whom met criteria for abuse or dependence. Correlates of nonmedical use included younger age, depressive and anxiety symptoms, cigarette smoking, alcohol misuse, Latino ethnicity, unemployment, and low education attainment. Wu and colleagues examined...
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