Teens and Prescription Drugs
Recent national studies and published reports indicate that alarming numbers of young people ages 12-17 are intentionally abusing prescription drugs such as pain relievers, tranquilizers, stimulants and sedatives, to get high. The National Survey on Drug Abuse and Health conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration in 2006 reported that not only has this category of drugs become the second most illegally abused, behind marijuana, but in 2007 there were just as many new abusers (12 and older) of prescription drugs as of marijuana. Everyday approximately 2,500 youth abuse a prescription pain reliever for the first time. Of even greater concern to each of us should be the statistic that shows that prescription drugs are the drug of choice among 12-13 year olds. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration in 2007, Oklahoma ranked fifth in the nation with 9.1% of youth age 12-17 reportedly abusing prescription pain relievers.
The consequences of prescription drug abuse can be serious. A single large dose of prescription painkillers or depressants can cause difficulty breathing and can lead to death. Stimulant abuse can cause rapid heartbeat and the potential for heart system failure or fatal seizures. Even in small doses, these drugs can have subtle effects on motor skills, judgment, and capacity to learn. Unfortunately, some of the most shocking consequences result from mixing prescription drugs with alcohol, which in combination can cause respiratory failure and death.
The reality is that our teens are more likely to abuse prescription drugs because they believe that they will get a medically safe high and will not become addicted. A reported 57.5 % of teens that have abused prescription drugs reported that they either obtained them from friends for free or took them from a friend or relative without asking.
Availability and accessibility are the two obvious factors that contribute to this problem among our young people. Highly abused prescriptions, such as pain relievers and anti-anxiety drugs, are prescribed more than ever and are in high demand. These drugs are legal and are often as close as the bathroom cabinet. This sort of experimentation does not require money or an encounter with a drug dealer. With a little deception or a single day’s lunch money, a 16-year-old has access to drugs that could end his life.
Please don’t be the next parent to lose a child to an accidental overdose because that child exercised poor judgment. Visit www.notinmyhouse.com, a website created by Abbott and The Partnership for a Drug Free America and learn steps to prevent your child from prescription drug abuse. Monitor, secure, and dispose are the three easy steps to both reduce risk and take responsibility for these potentially dangerous drugs.
Monitor- Keep track of the number of pills and refills given for each prescription for each family member. A need to refill a prescription before schedule may indicate a problem. Educate other relatives, such as grandparents, on how to monitor their prescriptions as well.
Secure- Lock up prescription drugs as if they were deadly weapons or valuable jewels, and keep the key with you or in a place where no one else knows. Inform relatives and friends to do the same.
Dispose- Remove personal information from containers and discard expired or no longer useful prescriptions. Unless packaging advises otherwise, do not flush medication down the drain or toilet due to the possibility of water contamination. Rather, combining pills with undesirable substances like kitty litter or used coffee grounds is a good way to prevent someone else form retrieving them from the garbage.
Finally, whether there is concern or not, talk to your teen. Research shows that the most powerful tool that you possess as a parent is communication. However, a reported 98% of American parents say they've talked with their teens about drugs; but only 1 in 4 teens say they're learning at home about the risks of using drugs. Keep in mind that one five minute conversation is not enough when addressing tough issues like drinking, drugs, and sex. This line of communication needs to open with all parties having a voice.
Darcy McConnell is a therapist at Edmond Family Counseling, Inc. and can be reached at 341-3554.
