Depressants
In the past year, 121,000 youth between the ages 12 to 17 misused prescription depressants.
- Definition: Depressants typically help a person sleep and relieve anxiety.
- Scenario: Taking depressants from your parents’ bathroom cabinet is not only dangerous, but illegal as well.
- Misuse: Misusing depressants can cause disorientation, slurred speech, and lack of coordination. If used more than prescribed, depressants can lead to overdoses and even death.
- Medical names: Xanax, Valium, Barbiturates
- Street names: Xany, Barbs, Downers, Reds, Yellows, Sleeping Pills
Stimulants
92,000 youth between the ages 12 to 17 misused prescription stimulants in the past year.
- Definition: Stimulants help treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
- Scenario: Using your friend’s prescription pills for ADHD without a doctor’s approval is considered misuse.
- Misuse: Misusing stimulants can cause accelerated heartbeat, paranoia, and increased body temperature.
- Medical names: Adderall, Ritalin
- Street names: Uppers, Bennies, Hearts, Black Beauties, Skippy
Opioids
Approximately 891,000 youth between the ages of 12 and 17 misused opioids in the past year.
- Definition: Opioids help relieve pain.
- Scenario: Think twice the next time someone offers you lean at a party. Lean is a beverage that is made up of cough syrup containing codeine, hard candy, and lemon-lime soda.
- Misuse: Misusing opioids can cause stomach pain, sleepiness, and constipation. If misused, opioids can also lead to overdoses and death.
- Medical names: Oxycodone, Codeine, Morphine, Vicodin, Hydrocodone, OxyContin, Percocet, Heroin, Fentanyl
- Street names: Oxy, Percs, Vikes, Hillbilly, Happy Pills
According to a DC Youth Prevention Survey, when DC youth were asked if their friends would disapprove of them using prescription drugs for non-medical use 42.08% of youth surveyed said “no.”
