Misuse of prescription drugs means taking a medication in a manner or dose other than prescribed; taking someone else’s prescription, even if for a legitimate medical complaint such as pain; or taking a medication to feel euphoria (i.e., to get high). The term nonmedical use of prescription drugs also refers to these categories of misuse. The three classes of medication most commonly misused are:
滥用处方药指以非处方的方式或剂量服用药物、服用他人的处方药，甚至出于合法的医疗目的（如缓解疼痛），或通过服药来获得欣快感（例如，吸嗨了）。处方药的非医疗用途一词也指这些类别的滥用。 最常滥用的三类药物是：
* opioids—usually prescribed to treat pain
* central nervous system [CNS] depressants (this category includes tranquilizers, sedatives, and hypnotics)—used to treat anxiety and sleep disorders
* stimulants—most often prescribed to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
* 阿片类药物——通常用于治疗疼痛
* 中枢神经系统（CNS）抑制剂(包括镇静剂，镇静剂和催眠药)——用于治疗焦虑和睡眠障碍
* 兴奋剂——最常用于治疗注意力缺陷多动障碍(ADHD)
Misuse of prescription opioids, CNS depressants, and stimulants is a serious public health problem in the United States. Although most people take prescription medications responsibly, in 2017, an estimated 18 million people (more than 6 percent of those aged 12 and older) have misused such medications at least once in the past year. According to results from the 2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, an estimated 2 million Americans misused prescription pain relievers for the first time within the past year, which averages to approximately 5,480 initiates per day. Additionally, more than one million misused prescription stimulants, 1.5 million misused tranquilizers, and 271,000 misused sedatives for the first time.
滥用处方阿片类药物、中枢神经系统抑制剂和兴奋剂在美国是一个严重的公共健康问题。尽管大多数人都在负责任地服用处方药，但在2017年，估计有1800万人(超过12岁及12岁以上人群的6%)在过去一年里至少滥用过此类药物一次。根据2017年全国药物使用与健康调查的结果，估计有200万美国人在过去一年中首次滥用处方止痛药，平均每天约5480次。此外，超过100万人滥用处类方兴奋剂，150万人滥用镇静剂，以及有27万1千人首次滥用镇静剂。