According to an article publish on May 25, 2010 by The Olympian (http://www.theolympian.com/2010/05/25/1249523/everyone-needs-to-take-a-closer.html), teen abuse of street drugs, tobacco and alcohol is declining while their abuse of prescription and over-the-counter drugs is on the rise. The article cites the following statistics:
• Nationwide, seven of the 10 most common drugs abused by teens are prescription drugs.
• In 2008 for the first time, more teens reported that prescription drugs were easier to purchase without a prescription (19 percent) than beer (15 percent).
• Every day, some 2,500 teens across the country abuse a prescription drug for the first time. Often, they receive them free from a friend or family member.
In other related stats:
• Washington is one of 16 states where prescription overdoses have surpassed car accidents as the number one cause of accidental deaths.
• Washington is No. 1 in the nation for pharmacy robberies and burglaries, over 90 percent of the time involving Oxycontin, a narcotic painkiller.
According to The Partnership for a Drug Free America (www.drugfree.org):
"Teens cite a variety of reasons for misusing prescription drugs, far beyond “partying” or wanting to “get high.” Teens are self-medicating to deal with problems like stress and depression, or to help them juggle schoolwork and other activities. Many mistakenly believe that Rx drugs are safer to use than street drugs, and report easy, free access to medications from their home medicine cabinet or from friends. Research shows parents are often not aware of the behavior or the dangers associated with misuse of Rx medications, and only one-third of parents have discussed these risks with their teen."
The Partnership has begun a campaign to educate parents and encourage parents to talk to their teens about the dangers of prescription drugs.
You can do the following to curb drug abuse before it’s too late:
• Learn about the medications kids are abusing at www.drugfree.org. Become familiar with the signs of drug abuse. Talk to your kids so they understand prescription drugs are just as dangerous, deadly and addictive as street drugs can be.
• Secure, monitor and dispose of all medications properly. Lock drugs up — don’t leave them in unsecured medicine cabinets in the bathroom at home.
• Properly dispose of unused medicines. Now, you can take unused or unwanted prescription drugs and prescription narcotics to the Sheriff’s Office’s precincts. The Sheriff’s Office is participating in a pilot project that aims to reduce drug overdoses, accidental poisonings, and addiction. By taking the medications, the Sheriff’s Office also hopes to reduce the opportunity for teens and others to steal drugs from home medicine chests. Bartell Drugs and Group Health Cooperative have already started a similar program. However, they cannot legally take unused narcotics. The Sheriff’s Office can take narcotics. The drugs can be deposited in a locked box that is bolted to the floor. Sheriff’s Office personnel regularly empty the boxes and the drugs are kept under control until destroyed. When you gather all of your unwanted meds from your home leave them in their original containers For more information or to find the location nearest you call 425-388-3199.
This link will take you to a short video from KING-TV 5's New Day Northwest segment features information about drug abuse:
http://www.atg.wa.gov/InGeneralPost.aspx?id=25768
If you need help with alcohol or drug abuse or a family member's alcohol or drug abuse go to the Alcohol and Drug Help Line at 1-800-562-1240 (http://www.adhl.org/)
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