It has been shown that individuals who abuse alcohol are more likely to abuse prescription drugs as well.  Individuals under the age of 25 are especially susceptible. Researchers at the University of Michigan have shown that men and women who abuse alcohol are 18 times more likely to abuse prescription drugs.  This is of great concern because using alcohol while taking the most commonly abused prescription medications can be a deadly combination.  At least seven percent of those claiming to abuse alcohol and prescription drugs claim to have taken them at the same time within the last year.

Some of the prescription drugs that were most often combined with alcohol included Vicodin, OxyContin, Ritalin, Adderall and Concerta.  There seems to be a correlation between the age that a person started drinking and how much they drink and prescription drug abuse.  It seems the younger an individual starts drinking and the amount, the more likely they are to be an abuser.  

As mentioned earlier, combining alcohol with prescription drugs is dangerous.  When a person reaches a level of alcohol that is excessive, they pass out.  This is the body’s self-protection mechanism.  When prescription drugs are added to the mix, namely stimulants, that mechanism can be overridden and pose possible life-threatening consequences.  Simply because medication are prescribed by doctors and tested by the Food and Drug Administration does not mean lethal side-effects aren’t present. Prescription drugs are safe when given under the guidance of a doctor.