Teens At Risk of Opioid Dependence

Teenagers are especially susceptible to effects of mind altering substances, due to the fact that their brains are still developing. The later teens are exposed to drugs and alcohol, the better. Unfortunately, a number of teenagers will experiment regardless of the warnings and education they receive. With the nation in the grips of prescription opioid and heroin epidemic, there is a good chance of adolescent exposure to opioids. Parents need to be vigilant in keeping drugs like oxycodone under lock and key, if your child is prescribed opioid narcotics for pain - it is important that the parent be responsible for the drugs.

What’s more, the FDA recently approved oxycodone for children as young as 11, a decision which has some experts concerned. New research suggests that 14- and 15-year-olds, who use prescription opioids above the recommended dose, are at a greater risk of becoming dependent, ScienceDaily reports. The findings were published online in the journal PeerJ.

Researchers at Michigan State University reviewed a nationally representative sample of 12- to 21-year-olds between 2002 and 2013. The study showed that 14- and 15-year-olds who used opioid extra-medically, were two to three times more likely to become dependent, compared to 20- and 21-year-old users. The survey sample included about 42,000 respondents, according to the article.

"Many kids start using these drugs other than what's prescribed because they're curious to see what it feels like," said lead author Maria A. Parker, a doctoral student. "The point of our study was to estimate the risk of dependency after someone in this age group starts using them beyond the boundaries of a doctor's orders."

The new research reconfirmed earlier research which has found that the peak risk for beginning to use prescription opioids extra-medically was 16 and 17 years old, the article reports. Knowing that gives experts a target to aim for with regard to abuse prevention efforts.

"It's important to identify when young people are starting to use these drugs because it allows us to provide prevention or intervention outreach strategies around these ages and much earlier on so things don't escalate into something worse," said Parker. But, he adds that "no age group is free from risk though."