Illicit Prescription Drug Use Among College Undergraduates

Illicit prescription drug use among young adults is a growing concern on college campuses, although there are only few studies empirically examining this phenomenon. The purpose of this study is to examine the use of illicit prescription drugsfor recreational purposes among college students and to evaluate the applicability of Akers’ Social Learning Theory to this phenomenon. A survey was conducted to obtain a sample size of approximately 465 students from a large Midwestern university. This study demonstrates that illicit prescription drug use is relatively prevalent in this college sample. Students in the sample who reported illicit prescription drug use were more likely to engage in other risky behavior, such as binge drinking, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, attending parties where alcohol is consumed, and mixing prescription drugs with alcohol. These students are also more likely to smoke tobacco and report lifetime use of other drugs besides marijuana. More importantly, the results of this study indicate that there is general support for social learning theory as a valuable explanation for this behavior, with peer association as the best predictor for this behavior.