Which statement correctly describes prescription drug misuse compared with illicit drugs?

• A. Misuse involves taking meds not prescribed or in larger amounts
• B. Prescription drugs are never misused
• C. Illicit drugs are less risky
• D. Misuse is always legal

Answer: (A)

Prescription drug misuse means using medicines outside the way they were prescribed. This includes taking someone else’s prescription, or taking higher doses, or using a drug for reasons other than treating a medical condition. That pattern—not following the doctor’s instructions or doses—best describes why this kind of misuse happens and why it’s risky, since it can lead to dependence, overdose, or dangerous drug interactions. Illicit drugs are drugs that have no legitimate medical use and are illegal to obtain and use, which is why the statement focusing on using meds not prescribed or in larger amounts fits the concept of misuse. The other ideas don’t fit because prescription meds can be misused, misuse isn’t legal, and illicit drugs aren’t simply “less risky.”