The latest Monitoring the Future survey has found that prescription drug use among teenagers is still on the rise. Painkillers such as Vicodin and OxyContin were among the most popular.

"'For teenagers nowadays, prescription drugs are becoming more of a problem than illicit street drugs', said Russell Bush, Medical Director for the Lapeer County Health Department. 'We periodically have overdose and deaths in this country from prescription medication, or mixing of prescription medication with illicit drugs, and/or alcohol.'"

The mixing of prescription and illicit drugs often amplifies the effects of the prescription drug and can cause near-euphoric feelings.

NorthStar Center offers addiction recovery programs to older teens and young adults. Their substance abuse treatment center helps adolescents get on the road to health and success.

Labels: prescription_drugs, teenagers