# Chinese teens turn to mind-numbing drugs to ‘run away from reality’

https://mins.news/en/item/32895

- BBC News, 2026-08-25 22:37 UTC
- Health
- Original: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c99d08j3kz1o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss

> Under intense exam pressure, some Chinese teenagers are misusing prescription medicines to seek what is described as a “pharmaceutical high”. A 14-year-old girl told the BBC she took drugs when overwhelmed by study, poor exam results or arguments with her parents, buying them online for two years despite tighter government controls.

## Related coverage

- [Chinese teenagers misuse prescription drugs to ‘escape reality’](https://mins.news/en/item/32671) — BBC Chinese, 2026-08-26