17 Jul Teens: Nonmedical Prescription Opioid Use Associated With Subsequent Heroin Use

MedicalResearch.com Interview with:

Dr. Kelley-Quon

Lorraine Kelley-Quon, MD, MSHS, FAAP
Assistant Professor | Division of Pediatric Surgery
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles
Department of Surgery & Preventive Medicine
Keck School of Medicine of USC 

MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? 

Response: Prescription opioids are pharmacologically similar to heroin, and previous research has shown an association between nonmedical opioid use and heroin use.

This is the first study to follow a group of teenagers through all 4 years of high school and identify an association between nonmedical prescription opioid use and later heroin use.

MedicalResearch.com: What should readers take away from your report?

Response: Nonmedical prescription opioid use is risky in teens. Students reporting current nonmedical opioid use showed the highest probability of later heroin use. 

MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this work? 

Response: Future research is needed to explore a possible causal pathway from nonmedical opioid use to later heroin use in teenagers.  Efforts to minimize access to prescription opioids outside of the healthcare setting merit consideration as a public health priority.

No disclosures

Citation:

Kelley-Quon LI, Cho J, Strong DR, et al. Association of Nonmedical Prescription Opioid Use With Subsequent Heroin Use Initiation in Adolescents. JAMA Pediatr. Published online July 08, 2019. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2019.1750

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/2737641

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Last Updated on July 17, 2019 by Marie Benz MD FAAD