COLLEGE

PRESCRIPTION
DRUG

STUDY

 

HIGHER EDUCATION CENTER FOR ALCOHOL AND
THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY DRUG MISUSE PREVENTION AND RECOVERY
OFFICE OF STUDENT LIFE CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF STUDENT LIFE

1

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The College Prescription Drug Study (CPDS) is a multi-institutional survey of undergraduate, graduate
and professional students. The CPDS examines the non-medical use of prescription drugs, including
the reasons for and consequences of use, access to prescription drugs and perceptions of use among
students. The purpose of the CPDS is to gain a more thorough understanding of the non-medical use of
prescription drugs among college students. The CPDS was developed and administered as a
collaboration between The Ohio State University’s Center for the Study of Student Life and the Higher
Education Center for Alcohol and Drug Misuse Prevention and Recovery.
During spring 2015, the CPDS was administered to random samples of students attending 8 four-year
public and private institutions across the United States via an anonymous online survey. The survey
was administered to 27,495 students; 3,918 responded for a response rate of 14.2 percent. More
information on the study is available by contacting the CPDS team at rxstudy@osu.edu.
For more information or assistance with reducing prescription drug misuse on your campus, please
contact the Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Drug Misuse Prevention and Recovery at
hecaod@osu.edu or visit hecaod.osu.edu.

HIGHLIGHTS
Frequency of Use


10.2% of undergraduates report using pain medications for non-medical reasons, 8.9% report
using sedatives and 18.6% report using stimulants. Respective figures for graduate and
professional students are 6.1% for pain medications, 6.8% for sedatives and 11.8% for
stimulants.

Access to Prescription Drugs




33.5% of undergraduates and 29.8% of graduate and professional students state it is easy or
very easy to obtain prescription pain medications; respective figures for sedatives are 44.2% of
undergraduates and 29.3% of graduate and professional students, and for stimulants are 71.0%
of undergraduates and 48.6% of graduate and professional students.
The majority of students who use prescription drugs for non-medical reasons report that they
typically obtain prescription drugs from friends (60.9% for pain medications, 60.4% for sedatives
and 82.6% for stimulants).

Reasons for Use


The most common reasons students report using pain medications are to relieve pain (54.9%)
and to get high (46.0%); sedatives are to get to sleep (56.1%) and to relieve anxiety (48.8%);
and stimulants are to study or improve grades (84.9%).

Consequences of Use


The most frequently reported effects of using prescription drugs for non-medical reasons include
experiencing depression for pain medication users (18.6%), experiencing memory loss for
sedative users (29.5%) and positive impacts on academics for stimulant users (62.8%).

Perceived Use of Other Students


Students overestimate the non-medical use of prescription drugs by other students at their
institutions. Undergraduate students estimate that 15.8% of other students use pain
medications, 17.4% use sedatives and 33.6% use stimulants. Graduate and professional
students estimate 12.9% of other students use pain medications, 14.5% use sedatives and
24.2% use stimulants.

 2

FREQUENCY OF USE
It is estimated that 15% of high school seniors have misused some type of prescription drug (Johnston
et al., 2014). This means that many students are coming to college campuses with exposure to the
misuse of prescription drugs. Prior research estimates that between 6 and 14% of college students
have used prescription drugs for non-medical reasons (SAMSHA, 2013; Zullig and Divin, 2012), which
is the highest rate of misuse among 18-25 year olds (SAMSHA, 2010). In the CPDS, 10% of
undergraduates have misused pain medications, 9% have misused sedatives and 19% have misused
stimulants; 25% have ever used any of the three prescription drugs. The rates for graduate and
professional students are lower.

Have you ever used the following prescription drugs for
non-medical reasons? (% Yes)
Undergraduate

100%

Graduate/ Professional

80%
60%
40%
10.2%

20%

8.9%

6.1%

18.6%
6.8%

24.8% 27.4%
11.8%

0%
Pain Medication

Sedative

Stimulant

Pain Med., Sedative or
Stimulant

Estimated lifetime use among those who have misused prescription drugs
Undergraduate
13.4%
13.2%
13.5%

40 + times

Sedative
Pain Med.

12.4%
13.7%
13.9%

10-19 times

40 + times

13.0%
7.4%
11.8%

20-39 times

12.0%
7.4%
3.9%

Stimulant

12.4%
8.3%
8.4%

20-39 times

Graduate/Professional

3-9 times

32.2%
28.3%
30.4%

3-9 times

1-2 times

28.9%
34.2%
32.9%

1-2 times

0%

20%

40%

60%

80% 100%

8.7%
9.3%
21.6%

10-19 times

31.5%
44.4%
51.0%
34.8%
11.8%

0%

31.5%

20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Note: Self-repprted estimate of lifetime use among students who indicated they had ever used a prescription drug
for non-medical reasons; students who responded "prefer not to say" are not presented in charts but included in
estimates.

 3

ACCESS
In order to understand the misuse of prescription drugs, it is important to understand ease of access
and where students access prescription drugs in order to educate students about misuse.
All students were asked how easy it is to obtain prescription drugs without a prescription; the
percentage who responded somewhat easy or very easy are:
Graduate/Professional
 Pain medication – 29.8%
 Sedatives – 29.3%
 Stimulants – 48.6%

Undergraduate
 Pain medication – 33.5%
 Sedatives – 44.2%
 Stimulants – 71.0%

Where do you typically obtain your prescription drugs that you use for nonmedical reasons?
100%
80%
60%

Pain Med.
82.6%

Sedative

60.4%
60.9%

Stimulant

40%

22.3%
23.3% 24.9%
20.2%
21.5%
19.9%
16.9%
16.6%
16.3%
10.1%
7.3%
5.4%

20%
0%
Friend

Peer

Relative

Pharmacy

Drug dealer

1.8%1.5%
2.6%2.2%
0.9%
0.3%
Travel

Internet

Note: Asked only to students who indicated they had ever used a prescription drug for non-medical reasons.
Respondents could select more than one option.

How did you obtain your prescription drugs from your friend, relative or peer?

100%
80%

85.3%

83.6% 79.7%

Pain Med.
Sedative
Stimulant

60%

49.6%
34.9% 36.6%

40%

21.4%

20%

11.6%

4.5%

0%
Gave it to me

Took it without them knowing

Paid for it

Note: Asked only to students who indicated they had ever used a prescription drug for non-medical reasons.
Respondents could select more than one option. Please see Appendix Table 1 for information on where
undergraduate and graduate students access prescription drugs.

 4

ILLICIT DRUG USE IN PLACE OF PRESCRIPTIONS
The misuse of prescription drugs can lead to the use of illicit drugs. Students were asked if they have
ever used illicit drugs in place of their non-medical use of prescription drugs.

Used the following in place of non-medical use of prescription drugs
Undergraduate

100%

Graduate/ Professional

80%
60%

55.4%
47.1%

50.9%
43.9%

40%

19.1%
15.1%

20%

18.7%
14.4%

0%
Marijuana

Cocaine

Hallucinogens

1.7% 2.2%

1.4% 1.4%

3.6% 2.2%

Meth

Other Drugs

Heroin

Not Used

Note: Asked only to students who indicated they had ever used a prescription drug for non-medical reasons.
Respondents could select more than one option.

Reasons for illicit drug use in place of a prescription drug
 49.6% - Easier to access
 33.2% - Had a stronger effect
 15.7% - It was cheaper

REASONS FOR USE
College students use prescription drugs for non-medical reasons due to several environmental and
personal factors. Some research suggests that college students are at a higher risk of misuse because
of academic strain, social norms and access (McCabe et al., 2006). Personal reasons for using
prescription drugs for non-medical purposes vary; about 13% of college students reporting non-medical
prescription drug use report using for recreational purposes, 39% report using for self-treatment and
48% report using for mixed reasons (McCabe et al., 2009). Additionally, non-medical prescription drug
use is associated with feeling hopeless, sad, depressed and considering suicide (Zullig & Divin, 2012).
Students were asked why they used prescription drugs for non-medical reasons. Among student
respondents in the CDPS, the top five most frequently reported reasons for use of each type of
medication are included below. For the full list, please see Appendix Table 2.

Top 5 Reasons for Non-Medical Use of Prescription Drugs
Pain Medications

Sedatives

Stimulants

To get to sleep (56.1%)

To study or improve grades (84.9%)

To get high (46.0%)

To relieve anxiety (48.8%)

To see what it was like (25.9%)

To see what it was like (38.5%)

To get high (38.9%)

To enhance social situations
(22.8%)

To get to sleep (35.6%)

To see what it was like
(33.0%)

To get high (13.5%)

To relieve anxiety (35.1%)

To feel better (26.1%)

To relieve anxiety (9.3%)

To relieve pain (54.9%)

 5

CONSEQUENCES OF USE
There are many potential consequences of misusing prescription drugs. Students were asked to
choose from a list of consequences and select which they experienced because of their non-medical
use of prescription drugs. The most frequently reported consequences among student respondents in
the CPDS are outlined below. A full list is available is Appendix Table 3.

 6

ALCOHOL AND MISUSE
The misuse of prescription drugs can be especially dangerous when combined with drinking alcohol.
Students were asked if they used prescription medications while drinking alcohol. The majority of
students reported that they never combined drinking alcohol with prescription drug use.
Do you use prescription drugs while drinking alcohol?
Sedatives

Pain Medication
3% 2%

Stimulants
3% 1%

5% 4%

15%

18%

18%
52%

55%

21%

58%

22%

22%

Never

Rarely

Sometimes

Often

Very Often

PERCEIVED USE OF OTHER STUDENTS
College students often overestimate the actual rate of substance use among their college-going peers
(Presley et al., 1996). Recent research suggests that college students overestimate non-medical
prescription drug use among their peers at a higher rate than they overestimate marijuana use among
their peers (McCabe, 2008). Much of this research identifies the “false consensus effect” as the main
reason for college students’ overestimation of peer substance use. That is, students who use drugs
tend to overestimate the extent to which their peers use drugs (McCabe, 2008). In the CPDS, students
overestimate how much other students are using prescription drugs for non-medical reasons.

Actual versus Perceived Use Among CPDS Student Respondents
Undergraduate

Graduate/Professional

Actual

100%

Perceived

80%

Perceived

80%

60%

60%
33.6%

40%
20%

Actual

100%

15.8%
10.2%

17.4%
8.9%

18.6%

Pain Med.

Sedative

Stimulant

0%

40%
20%

12.9%
6.1%

11.8%

14.5%

24.2%
6.8%

0%
Pain Med.

Sedative

Stimulant

 7

REFERENCES
McCabe, S. E. (2008). Misperceptions of non-medical prescription drug use: A web survey of college
students. Addictive Behaviors, 33, 713-724.
McCabe, S. E., Boyd, C. J., & Teter, C. J. (2009). Subtypes of nonmedical prescription drug misuse.
Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 102, 63-70.
McCabe, S. E., Teter, C. J., & Boyd, C. J. (2006). Medical use, illicit use, and diversion of abusable
prescription drugs. Journal of American College Health, 54(5), 269–278.
Presley, C. A., Meilman, P. W., & Cashin, J. R. (1996). Alcohol and Drugs on American Campuses:
Use, Consequences, and Perceptions of the Campus Environment, Vol. IV: 1992−94. Carbondale, IL:
Core Institute.
Rabiner, D. L., Anastopoulos, A. D., Costello, E. J., Hoyle, R. H., McCabe, S. E., & Swartzwelder, H. S.
(2009). Motives and Perceived Consequences of Nonmedical ADHD Medication Use by College
Students: Are Students Treating Themselves for Attention Problems? Journal of Attention Disorders,
13(3), 259-270.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Results from the 2013 National Survey
on Drug Use and Health: Summary of National Findings, NSDUH Series H-48, HHS Publication No.
(SMA) 14-4863. Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2014.
Zullig, K. J., & Divin, A. L. (2012). The association between non-medical prescription drug use,
depressive symptoms, and suicidality among college students. Addictive Behaviors, 37, 890-899.

 8

APPENDIX
Appendix Table 1: Where do you typically obtain prescription drugs you
use for non-medical reasons? (Select all that apply)
Stimulants
Pain Medications
Sedatives
Undergrad Grad/Prof Undergrad Grad/Prof Undergrad Grad/Prof
Friend
60.2%
52.9%
59.8%
57.9%
83.5%
83.5%
Peer who is not a friend
14.9%
7.8%
19.2%
5.3%
23.9%
16.5%
Relative
26.5%
33.3%
20.6%
26.3%
7.1%
6.2%
Pharmacy
23.7%
27.5%
22.9%
14.0%
4.9%
7.2%
Drug dealer
19.3%
9.8%
19.2%
3.5%
10.9%
6.2%
Travel
2.8%
3.9%
1.9%
1.8%
0.2%
1.0%
Internet
2.0%
0.0%
2.3%
0.0%
0.9%
1.0%
Other
9.6%
15.7%
2.8%
8.8%
3.1%
2.1%
How did you obtain prescription drugs from your friend, relative or peer?
They gave it to me
85.2%
94.1%
80.9%
97.7%
78.2%
84.3%
Took it without them knowing
17.6%
23.5%
10.5%
11.4%
4.7%
3.4%
Paid for it
34.1%
17.7%
42.6%
6.8%
51.6%
42.7%
Appendix Table 2: Reason for Use (Select all that apply)
Stimulants
Pain Medications
Sedatives
Undergrad Grad/Prof Undergrad Grad/Prof Undergrad Grad/Prof
To relieve pain
57.3%
51.0%
17.9%
16.1%
2.0%
1.0%
To get to sleep
34.3%
33.3%
59.0%
51.8%
1.6%
1.0%
To relieve anxiety
35.1%
33.3%
48.6%
57.1%
8.9%
10.2%
To get high
43.5%
37.3%
43.4%
25.0%
14.3%
12.2%
To help study or improve
14.1%
11.8%
9.0%
3.6%
87.1%
81.6%
grades
To counter the effects of
6.9%
0.0%
14.6%
8.9%
6.5%
8.2%
other drugs
To enhance social
22.6%
7.8%
28.3%
10.7%
23.0%
19.4%
interactions or situations
Because I felt dependent on
6.5%
2.0%
4.2%
1.8%
2.7%
3.1%
it
To see what it was like
41.9%
25.5%
35.8%
26.8%
25.9%
25.5%
To feel better
33.5%
15.7%
29.2%
16.1%
6.7%
8.2%
To escape from reality
21.4%
9.8%
22.6%
12.5%
3.3%
6.1%
Because of a personal or
18.1%
9.8%
23.1%
19.6%
2.5%
5.1%
emotional problem
Because they felt safer than
5.2%
0.0%
4.2%
3.6%
2.5%
4.1%
street drugs
Because they are not felt to
be as addictive as street
2.8%
0.0%
4.2%
0.0%
1.8%
2.0%
drugs
I’d rather not say
0.0%
0.0%
0.5%
0.0%
0.7%
1.0%
Other reason
3.2%
2.0%
0.0%
1.8%
5.4%
11.2%

 9

Appendix Table 3: Please indicate whether you have ever experienced the following effects from
your non-medical use of prescription drugs. (Select all that apply)
Pain Medications
Sedatives
Stimulants
Undergrad Grad/Prof Undergrad Grad/Prof Undergrad Grad/Prof
Not been able to stop using
when I wanted to
8.2%
5.9%
5.8%
10.5%
4.3%
6.3%
Had family members or friends
express concern over use
10.7%
3.9%
11.7%
5.3%
4.8%
6.3%
Stayed away from family or
friends because of use
9.5%
3.9%
8.7%
5.3%
3.2%
5.2%
Engaged in criminal activity in
order to obtain
8.2%
5.9%
6.3%
5.3%
3.2%
3.1%
Experienced memory loss as
a result of use
16.0%
23.5%
30.0%
22.8%
3.2%
5.2%
Experienced a negative
impact on academics
10.7%
3.9%
12.7%
5.3%
3.2%
2.1%
Experienced a positive impact
on academics
14.5%
13.7%
14.1%
12.3%
64.6%
60.4%
Experienced problems at work
3.7%
2.0%
4.9%
3.5%
1.4%
2.1%
Done things I wish I hadn’t
18.1%
9.8%
20.4%
15.8%
7.1%
10.4%
Harmed another person
2.1%
0.0%
3.4%
1.8%
1.1%
1.0%
Been harmed by another
person
4.9%
3.9%
3.9%
1.8%
0.9%
3.1%
Experienced withdrawal
symptoms when stopped
using
13.6%
2.0%
5.8%
1.8%
8.4%
4.2%
Experienced medical
problems
6.2%
2.0%
4.4%
3.5%
3.2%
3.1%
Experienced emotional or
psychological problems
13.2%
8.0%
10.2%
7.0%
9.4%
6.3%
Underwent medical treatment
2.5%
3.9%
2.4%
1.8%
1.4%
1.0%
Underwent emotional or
psychological treatment
5.3%
2.0%
4.8%
5.3%
1.6%
1.0%
Experienced legal problems
2.1%
0.0%
2.4%
1.8%
0.7%
1.0%
Been depressed
19.8%
7.8%
15.0%
8.8%
9.4%
5.2%
Had suicidal thoughts
11.5%
0.0%
8.3%
5.3%
4.6%
2.1%

 10
The data were collected and report was prepared by:
Dr. Anne McDaniel, Associate Director of Research and Data Management, Center for the Study of
Student Life, The Ohio State University

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We would like to acknowledge the following individuals for their support, feedback and assistance on
the study:














Dr. Robert W. Aaron, Executive Director, Center for the Study of Student Life, The Ohio State
University
Dr. Javaune Adams-Gaston, Vice President for Student Life, The Ohio State University
Christina Athas, Senior Research Analyst, Center for the Study of Student Life, The Ohio State
University
Benjamin D. Andrews, Graduate Student Researcher, Center for the Study of Student Life, The
Ohio State University
Connie Boehm, Director, Student Life Student Wellness Center; Associate Director, Higher
Education Center for Alcohol and Drug Misuse Prevention and Recovery, The Ohio State
University
Dr. John Clapp, Professor and Associate Dean for Research and Faculty Development, College
of Social Work; Director, Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Drug Misuse Prevention and
Recovery, The Ohio State University
Kirstan Duckett, Social Science Research Specialist, Ohio Department of Aging
Dr. Kenneth Hale, Clinical Professor, College of Pharmacy; Associate Director, Higher
Education Center for Alcohol and Drug Misuse Prevention and Recovery, The Ohio State
University
Dr. Lance Kennedy-Phillips, Vice Provost for Planning and Assessment, Pennsylvania State
University
Dr. Nicole C. Kweik, Clinical Assistant Professor, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State
University
Dr. Richard Shadick, Director, Counseling Center and Adjunct Associate Professor, Department
of Psychology, Pace University
Attendees of the 2014 Generation Rx Conference
Colleagues in The Ohio State University’s College of Pharmacy, Student Life Counseling and
Consultation Service and Student Life Student Wellness Center

We would also like to thank the students who participated in the survey.