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Start Talking
Know! the Facts
and Respect the Meds
10/26/2016
Did you know teen medicine abuse is on the rise?According to the
Partnership Attitude Tracking Study (PATS), there was a 33 percent
increase in American teens abusing prescription drugs over a five-year
period. Prescription meds now rank in the top three most popular drugs
of choice among youth, just after marijuana and alcohol. Statistics
reveal that ONE in FOUR teens have misused or abused prescription drugs.
What exactly is prescription drug abuse? Anytime a person takes a
medication prescribed for someone else, or takes his/her own
prescription for reasons not intended by his/her physician – like
getting high.
What drugs are teens abusing? The most common drugs of abuse are
opioids (painkillers), depressants (to relieve anxiety or induce sleep)
and stimulants (especially those used to treat attention deficit
hyperactivity disorder - ADHD).
Where are teens getting such drugs? The majority of youth obtain
prescription meds from the home medicine cabinets of family and friends
- many times without them even knowing.
Why are young people abusing prescription drugs? Teens abuse
prescription drugs for a number of reasons. They may use them not only
to get high, but to stay alert, go to sleep, lose weight, stop pain or
as a study aid. Many teens and adults falsely believe prescription
drugs are safer than illegal drugs; and many say they’d be in less
trouble if caught using a prescription drug vs. an illicit “street”
drug – both of which contribute to teen use.
Why should parents be concerned? Regardless of why young people choose
to abuse prescription drugs, their developing bodies and minds are
negatively impacted (in addition to the legal, social, educational and
personal ramifications it can cause). Depending on the drug and what it
is mixed with, physical side effects may include anything from chest
pains and decreased breathing to seizures and loss of consciousness –
which can ultimately lead to death. Prescription drugs also change a
person’s brain chemistry, potentially leading to addiction and
interfering with the brain’s neurotransmitters which can impact
everything from basic survival functions, like breathing, to more
complex functions, like the ability to think, solve problems and make
decisions.
Respect the meds! Prescription medications have many beneficial
effects. When used under proper medical supervision, they can help us
live longer, healthier lives. But these same medications have the
potential to produce dangerous and even deadly side effects, especially
when misused or abused. Because of this potential for harm,
prescription medications should be used precisely as prescribed, and
only by the person for whom they are intended.
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