This study explored the extent to which nonprescription and prescription drugs misuse among adolescents/young adults are related to their perception that it is safer than illicit drugs, ease of access, and lower societal stigma. Adolescents/young adults ( ; , ) completed an online survey about their nonprescription and prescription drug misuse, other substance use, and correlates of use. Perceived risk, societal stigma, and access to nonprescription and prescription drugs were predictive of misuse. Results support program planners working towards targeting perceived risk and societal stigma in reducing misuse and the need to restrict and monitor access to nonprescription and prescription drugs for adolescents/young adults. 1. Introduction Prescription drugs are becoming the drugs of choice for adolescents and young adults with a reported increase in misuse of 212% from 1992 to 2003 [1]. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration [2] and Johnston et al. [3] have reported that the misuse or nonmedical use of prescription drugs has a greater prevalence rate than illicit drugs use with the exception of marijuana use, with the highest prevalence rates being reported among adolescents and young adults. The increased incidence and prevalence of nonprescription and prescription drug misuse among young people led to the Office of National Drug Control Policy’s [4] prescription drug abuse prevention campaign to target parents of adolescents in 2008. Friedman [5] and Manchikanti [6] argued that continued prescription drug misuse among adolescents may be attributed to adolescents’ perception that this type of drug use is safer than illicit drugs, the ease of access to these drugs, and lower societal stigma about misuse compared to illicit drugs use. These three variables are directly related to peer influence and are consistent with Kandel’s [7] adolescent socialization theory, particularly imitation and social reinforcement. Kandel [7] described peer influence, rather than parent influence, as being the most important influence to adolescents’ immediate lifestyle, hence peers being more relevant in understanding adolescents’ health risk behaviors. Regarding Kandel’s [7] theory, imitation involves adolescents modeling their behaviors and attitudes based on others’ behaviors and social reinforcement involves adolescents internalizing and displaying behaviors and attitudes approved by others. Both are applicable to adolescents’ perception of prescription drug use being safer than illicit drugs and lower stigma about misuse, since these perceptions
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