Beware of Unplanned Addiction: Teen Athletes Unknowingly Abuse Pain Medicines

There are less student-athletes using marijuana as per NCAA records however, the percentage of student-athletes who use marijuana is still rampant and the infographic shows a relatively flat line for the last 10 years. Now that cannabis is legalized in about 25 states, should we expect a raise? Hopefully not.

Alcohol and marijuana are the two most reported recreational drugs that student-athletes do not just use but abuse. Along with these are some other abuse of stimulants and narcotics. As a result, there is a prevalence of negative consequences such as low grades, immorality, bullying, depression, campus fights, and even death. The abuse of the mood-altering substances is indeed a great problem faced by many colleges and universities nowadays.

The University of Michigan researchers used the data from nearly 192,000 students in 8th and 10th grade who took roles in a federally funded study between 1997 and 2014. It was found out that for almost two decades, doctors prescribed more opioid painkiller for children and teens, and nonmedical use of opioids has significantly increased along with this. There are also a lot overdose death records involving opioids such as OxyContin, Heroin, Percocet, and Vicodin. Such fatality nearly quadrupled in the U.S. based on the records of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

A study reported by Health Day News stated that athletes who are into contact sports (like wrestling and football) have the higher risk to abuse of painkillers. When painkillers are taken by smoking, snorting, or injecting, the person taking it gets a stronger reaction than he would if he swallowed the pills. The impact will be stronger as manifested by hallucination and serious breathing problem. The sad thing about it is the addiction that can come after each every take of the pain medicine.

The Health Department should take action to rescue the young sports enthusiasts in colleges and universities to rescue them from possible addiction. Nonetheless, having marijuana to be legalized in many states now, how could that be too possible?