Although most people take prescription medications responsibly, there has been an increase in the nonmedical use of prescription drugs in the United States. There are several classifications of medicine that people abuse:

 

 

 

Some concerning trends can be seen among older adults, adolescents, and women concerning prescription drug abuse. Several indicators suggest that prescription drug abuse is on the rise in the United States. An estimated 4.7 million Americans used prescription drugs nonmedically for the first time in 2002.