Nonmedical Prescription Drug Use and Delinquency: An Analysis with a National Sample

There is an abundance of research on the association between substance use and delinquency. However, an area yet to be examined is the association between nonmedical prescription drug use and delinquency. This is important given the substantial increase in nonmedical prescription drug use in recent years and the fact that recent national surveys of substance use show that the prevalence of nonmedical prescription drug use is now greater than that of illicit drugs other than marijuana. Using data from a national sample, this research examines the association between nonmedical prescription drug use and delinquency among adolescents. Findings indicate that nonmedical prescription drug use is significantly associated with self-reported delinquency and arrest. However, the use of other illicit drugs is more strongly associated with self-reported delinquency and arrest than nonmedical prescription drug use.