Rx Facts and Myths

Everyone else is doing it

Truth:  Less than 10% of UC Davis students have used a prescription drug not prescribed to them in the last year (UC Davis ACHA-NCHA, 2019). Overestimating their peers’ non-medical use of prescription drugs can make it more likely for people to justify engaging in this behavior. However, most college students don't use prescription medications that aren't prescribed to them, even though we know the pressure to use these medications non-medically is real.

Prescription medications are safer to use than other illicit substances

Truth: Prescription drugs are often considered a safer alternative to illicit drugs such as cocaine or heroin – they’re FDA approved and often prescribed by doctors to treat illnesses. But when misused or taken without a prescription, prescription medications can be just as harmful as illegal drugs. For example, a prescription stimulant will have the same physiological effects on your body as an illicit stimulant. 

Prescription drugs are very powerful medications. If these medications are taken inappropriately, or without a prescription, there’s no knowing how they may affect the user. Additionally, taking them with alcohol or other drugs can have grave and possibly deadly consequences. Prescription drugs do not offer a safe or healthy way to cope with stress or perform better at school.

Misusing prescription drugs won’t hurt me if I only do them every once in a while.

Truth: Research shows that experimenting with prescription drugs can put the user at risk. Research shows that students who take prescription drugs for nonmedical reasons are at least 5 times more likely to develop a drug abuse problem than those who don’t. Taking any drug, including non-prescribed prescription drugs,  can lead to problems, such as overdose, especially if they are mixed with alcohol, marijuana, or other drugs (see mixing alcohol with other depressants).

Sharing prescription medication is legal

Truth: Many people may not realize that they’re doing anything potentially dangerous if they pop a friend’s Percocet (a pain reliever) to relieve a headache or take Adderall (a stimulant) to cram for exams all night. But using these medications, many of which are considered controlled substances, without a doctor’s prescription or using someone else’s prescription is illegal. Only a doctor or pharmacist can legally provide these medications.

If you take a prescription for a legitimate medical reason, don’t share these medications with anyone, regardless of the reason. You could unknowingly be putting your friends at risk if you share your medicine, so keep your medications safe and secure. If you do not have a prescription, don't pressure your friends to give you theirs; you'd be taking it from someone who needs it.