Chinese Teens Use Prescription Drugs To Escape Academic Pressure
· World · BBC News, NDTV
Teenagers across China are increasingly turning to prescription medications, including cough suppressants and pain relief drugs, to cope with intense academic pressure. Students report using these drugs to achieve a sense of numbness or a pharmaceutical high to escape the stress of exams and family conflicts. Many of these substances are obtained through online platforms without valid medical prescriptions. In response to the growing trend, the Chinese government launched a nationwide crackdown two years ago, reclassifying certain cough suppressants as controlled psychotropic drugs. The exact scale of the issue remains difficult to determine due to a lack of official data.
Why it matters
The misuse of prescription drugs among Chinese youth poses severe health risks, including hallucinations and impaired coordination, while highlighting the extreme mental health toll of the country's academic environment.
Read the original report — BBC News
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