Accidental Dealer

“Are You An Accidental Dealer?” is a community campaign to raise awareness for the need to properly safeguard your over-the-counter and prescription medications. The presentation – targeting parents, grandparents and caregivers – is available for groups and organizations.

Prescription drugs and pain reliever misuse

  • 238,000 adolescents aged 12 to 17 initiated misuse of prescription stimulants in 2019 – an average of about 650 new prescription stimulant misusers each day.
  • Prescription pain reliever misuse was the second most common form of illicit drug use in 2019.
  • 567,000 adolescents aged 12 to 17 misused prescription pain relievers in 2019 — an average of about 670 adolescents each day. This includes products containing hydrocodone, oxycodone, tramadol, codeine, morphine, prescription fentanyl,31 buprenorphine, oxymorphone, and hydromorphone, as well as Demerol®, and methadone.
  • 66,000 adolescents aged 12 to 17 had a prescription stimulant use disorder in the past year.

Source: 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (the most current available)

The average age of first-time drug use in southern and eastern Kentucky based on UNITE Treatment Voucher recipients is age 11.

Resources

Source of misused prescription drugs

An analysis of data from the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (most current analysis) found that the most common source for obtaining pain relievers among people aged 12 and older who misused prescription pain relievers in the past year was from a friend or relative in some way (such as taking them without asking; being given them from friends, family and acquaintances; or buying them).