Use of the Internet to Obtain Drugs Without a Prescription Among Treatment-Involved Adolescents and Young Adults

ABSTRACT

Nonmedical use of prescription drugs is common and poses risks such as injury, overdose, and development of abuse and dependence. Internet pharmacies offer prescription drugs without a prescription, creating a source of illicit drugs accessible to anyone with an Internet connection. We examined this issue in a convenience sample of 1,860 adolescents and young adults from 24 residential and outpatient treatment programs. Few individuals obtained drugs from the Internet (N = 26, 2.3%). Pain relievers were the most frequently purchased type of drug. The majority of adolescents and young adult online purchasers made the purchases from their own or a friend's house.

KEYWORDS:

• adolescent
• Internet pharmacies
• prescription drug
• substance abuse

Acknowledgment

The authors wish to acknowledge Cecile Denis and Carmen Rivera for their assistance in the preparation of this article.

Funding

This study was funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA; R01 DA024658).