One in 10 High School Seniors Have Used Narcotic Pai...(ver students who used prescription opioi...),Health

Dr. Adam Bisaga, an assistant professor of psychiatry at Columbia University and addiction psychiatrist at the New York State Psychiatric Institute, said more than 90 percent of these students used these drugs for reasons other than to treat pain. "That is for their psychoactive effects, either to achieve euphoria or to relieve psychological distress," he explained.

"Not surprisingly, those who use opioids for their psychoactive effects were more likely to use other substances with addictive potential and show early signs of substance use disorder," Bisaga said.

These data indicate that use of prescription opioids to achieve psychoactive effects is highly prevalent among high schoolers, and puts them at risk to develop more serious drug-related problems, Bisaga added.

"This suggests that adolescents should be routinely screened for prescription painkiller use, particularly those that are regular users of alcohol, marijuana or cigarettes, and those who show signs of psychological distress," he said.

"Early identification of individuals at risk, and development of preventive and treatment strategies appropriate for these individuals, is likely to impede the development of addictive disorders and their devastating psychological, medical and social consequences," Bisaga said.

Another expert, Dr. Thomas Kosten, the Jay H. Waggoner chair and a professor of psychiatry, pharmacology & neuroscience at Baylor Medical College in Houston, said many of those who use these drugs for pain relief "may not represent persons with addictive behaviors who will need, benefit or accept opiate addiction treatments."

Kosten said, "These adolescents without addictive behaviors would benefit from some education about the need for professional medical supervision when using opiates because of
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