Drugs & Consequences

The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that prescription painkillers are one of the most commonly abused drugs by teens, after tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana. Readers get the facts about narcotics, including opioids and opiates, the class of chemicals that includes oxycodone. The misuse of narcotic painkillers has more than tripled since 2001, according to the CDC. This frank narrative explains how opioid painkillers work on the body and brain, how to spot the symptoms of abuse and overdose, and how to fight addiction. Detoxification and rehabilitation programs and what it takes to recover are also examined.