Student groups tackle Rx abuse

As Ohio University students cram for midterm exams, two student groups are teaming up to ask them to think twice before abusing prescription and over-the-counter medications. The campaign is part of a statewide initiative that includes peer skits and open dialogue for students of all grade levels.

OU's Promoting Education, Wellness and Responsibility and its Pre-Pharmacy Club are joining together to plan the college-level "œGeneration Rx" program, which will begin Feb. 28 at POWER's weekly Power Hour at Baker Center.

The U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration recently reported that for the first time, the abuse of prescription stimulants, painkillers and sedatives exceeded abuse of all illicit "street" drugs combined, except marijuana, according to SAMHSA's Web site.

Terry Koons, associate director of OU Health Promotion, attributed the increase in prescription drug use and abuse with changes in how medications are marketed.

The title "Generation Rx" came from a book written by Greg Critser with the same title, Koons said. The book looks at how pharmaceuticals were deregulated in the late 1970s and early '80s.

"At that time, most people were prescribed medication through their doctor, and doctors were given information about medications and then made the decision on whether or not to prescribe," Koons said. "Today, things have changed where all of the marketing is to the consumer."

Koons said after the shift in marketing, people began asking their physicians for specific medications.

"What we've come to learn is that many people are using various pharmaceuticals for legitimate reasons, but sometimes on college campuses, we have people who use them recreationally for non-prescribed reasons or they misuse their prescribed medications," Koons said.

After seeing a presentation on the issue by Dr. Kenneth Hale, associate dean for Ohio State University's pharmacy program, at a meeting for the state's public universities, POWER took an interest in the project and has been organizing it for the last year.

Koons said the top three abused medications at OU are stimulants, such as Adderall and Ritalin; opiate-related painkillers such as hydrocodone and oxycodone (Vicodin, OxyContin, respectively); and benzodiazepines, including Valium or Xanex.

About 13 percent of the OU student population had misused addictive opioid painkillers such as OxyContin in the last 30 days, according to the 2009 alcohol and other drug survey for undergraduate students. About 4 percent of the population had misused Ritalin.

"We're going to also add at the end of the whole program information and resources about how this can also be harmful if you're using alcohol because we found that about 10 percent of the people who were misusing pharmaceuticals were also drinking while they were using them," Koons said. "... It's not a casual activity. We want people to think about misusing a prescription the way they would think about people using heroin or cocaine or any other illegal drug."

Koons said the program also aims to raise awareness about the legal ramifications for dispensing prescription drugs.

"You can't just dispense your drugs to friends," he said. "We want to raise awareness about how to protect your drugs... from theft or from people trying to hit you up all the time."

Booklets are being developed so students will have the information and resources they need to make informed decisions. Actors in the skits will answer questions in character, while students will have an opportunity to discuss how it makes them feel, for instance, if they see someone abusing drugs at a party, Koons said.

"After alcohol and marijuana, benzos and Adderall were the two most used (drugs at OU)," Koons said.

Hale said he is working at OSU to create a statewide curriculum on the issue of prescription drug abuse. Partners include OU, Miami University, Otterbein College, Miami University and other higher-education institutions.

OSU has had its program for about three years, he said.

"Typically, we start off by talking about the scope of the prescription drug abuse problem, and it's a very serious public-health issue," Hale said. "People sometimes don't understand the scope of the problem... The data tells us that when you ask people if they've abused (drugs) in the past month, more people abuse prescription drugs than all street drugs combined except marijuana... These have become the drugs of abuse of choice."

Hale said prescription drug abuse is especially a concern on college campuses.

"There's no good data that says abusing prescription medications helps someone learn better," he said. "There are a lot of issues that people don't know about. Some of these drugs are addicting."

There also are social consequences, as well as consequences on a student's development, Hale said.

"They're using (drugs) as study crutches now, but how are they going to develop good professional skills to be successful in the long run?" Hale said. "I think it's real. We're in college trying to develop behaviors that help us be good professionals in whatever we're going to do in the future."

Senior Jake Venoy, who is studying pre-pharmacy and chemistry, said he joined the Pre-Pharmacy Club to network with other students and participate in pharmacy-related activities.

He said he is looking forward to helping his peers with the "Generation Rx" program.

"It's kind of what our job is, too, if we become pharmacists, to tell people about drugs," Venoy said.

Patty Roberts, a junior chemistry and pre-pharmacy major, said she hopes the program will help change the culture surrounding prescription medications.

"I think it's pretty common, and I think that's why it's a problem," Roberts said of prescription drug abuse. "I think it's in the drinking culture here. It's really prevalent... I've seen friends; I know people that do it."