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Research Reports: Prescription Drugs: Abuse and Addiction
- From the Director
- What is prescription drug abuse?
- What are some of the commonly abused prescription drugs?
- Opioids
- CNS depressants
- Stimulants
- Trends in prescription drug abuse
- Preventing and recognizing prescription drug abuse
- Treating prescription drug addiction
- Chronic Pain Treatment and Addiction
- Glossary
- References
What are some of the commonly abused prescription drugs?
Although many medications can be abused, the following three classes are most commonly abused:
- Opioids—usually prescribed to treat pain;
- Central nervous system (CNS) depressants—used to treat anxiety and sleep disorders; and
- Stimulants—most often prescribed to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
This page was last updated October 2011.
Research Reports
This series of reports simplifies the science of research findings for the educated lay public, legislators, educational groups, and practitioners. The series reports on research findings of national interest.
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