title: Use of the Internet to Obtain Drugs without a Prescription Among Treatment-involved Adolescents and Young Adults.
abstract: Nonmedical use of prescription drugs is common and poses risks such as injury, overdose, and development of abuse and dependence. Internet pharmacies offer prescription drugs without a prescription, creating a source of illicit drugs accessible to anyone with an Internet connection. We examined this issue in a convenience sample of 1,860 adolescents and young adults from 24 residential and outpatient treatment programs. Few individuals obtained drugs from the Internet (n = 26, 2.3%). Pain relievers were the most frequently purchased type of drug. The majority of adolescents and young adult online purchasers made the purchases from their own or a friend's house.
authors.affiliation: Treatment Research Institute, Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA; University of Pennsylvania, Department of Psychiatry, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
authors.forename: David S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Festinger
authors.affiliation: Treatment Research Institute, Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA.
authors.forename: Karen L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Dugosh
authors.affiliation: Treatment Research Institute, Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA; Saint Joseph's University, Department of Decision System Sciences, Philadelphia, PA 19131, USA.
authors.forename: Nicolle
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Clements
authors.affiliation: Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
authors.forename: Anna B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Flynn
authors.affiliation: Drug Strategies, Washington, D.C., 20036, USA.
authors.forename: Mathea
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Falco
authors.affiliation: Treatment Research Institute, Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA.
authors.forename: A Thomas
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: McLellan
authors.affiliation: Treatment Research Institute, Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA; University of Maryland School of Public Health, Department of Behavioral and Community Health, College Park, MD 20740, USA.
authors.forename: Amelia M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Arria