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Approximately one in five teens has used a prescription medication for recreational purposes. According to a local treatment provider in Sioux Falls, S.D., area teens are following this trend.

Prescription drug abuse is a growing problem in Sioux Falls, according to treatment expert Ben Granville. Granville says local high school students regularly use such prescription medications as hydrocodone, Ritalin, Xanax and Oxycontin. Granville says that many teens will take any prescription medication to get high, but are in danger of experiencing unanticipated and dangerous side effects, such as a slowed heart rate.

Granville says that many teens obtain the drugs from their parents' or relatives' medicine cabinets. In addition, students who have prescriptions for drugs such as Ritalin have been known to sell the drugs at school for as much as $30-$40 per pill.

Technology also aids access to prescription drugs. Teens text one another when drugs are available at school. Granville and other treatment providers urge parents to be aware that prescription drugs are easily accessible to their children.

(Source: ksfy.com)

Labels: prescription drugs

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According to a 2008 study, which is appearing this week in the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, almost all abusers of opioid painkillers obtain the drugs from a friend or family member who had a prescription.

The study, conducted in Utah, involved 5,300 adults. Of the 2 percent of adults who reported using an opioid painkiller not prescribed to them, 97 percent reported obtaining the drug from a friend or family member. And most of the time the friend or family member gave them the drug willingly.

Report co-author Erin Johnson, project coordinator for the Utah Department of Health's Pain Medication Management and Education Program, commented: "We found that one in five patients are prescribed opioids and the majority of those have leftover medication. With all these excess pills, there is a great likelihood of misuse and abuse that could result from that. So dispose of your leftover pain medication immediately."

According to the report by Johnson and her team, 85.2 percent of people who used an opioid without a prescription said the drug was given to them by someone who did have a prescription, and 9.8 percent said they took the medication without the knowledge or permission of the owner. Only 4.1 percent said they had bought the drug.

(Source: businessweek.com)

Labels: prescription drugs, painkillers

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Although the results of Florida's 2009 Youth Substance Abuse Survey were largely positive, binge drinking, marijuana use and prescription drug use remain areas of concern. Lt. Governor Jeff Kottkamp announced this week that the survey showed long-term reductions in drug use among middle and high school students and attributes the reductions to the success of prevention efforts.

Kottkamp reinforced the importance of the survey as a tool to track a serious threat: "Drug use threatens the health and safety of our children and their families. Children are Florida's most vulnerable residents and protecting them from the dangers of substance abuse remains a high priority. The survey is a critical tool in the effort to prevent drug use."

Alcohol use has declined steadily since 2000, but the rate of alcohol use among Florida's students continues to exceed national figures.

Bruce Grant, Director of the Florida Office of Drug Control, commented: "The results of the survey show the success of our prevention efforts over time. Yet, we still have our work cut out for us to reduce youth use of inhalants, marijuana and prescription drugs. Overall, underage drinking remains the most significant challenge we face."

(Source: www.thegovmonitor.com)

Labels: marijuana, prescription drugs, binge drinking, drug-use

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In 2008, Mississippi recorded only one increase in drug use -- prescription drugs.

Jerri Avery, Director of the Mississippi Department of Mental Health's Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Services, commented on the trend and how most teens are gaining access to prescription drugs for recreational use:

"It's not drug dealers who are supplying the drugs -- it's the home medicine cabinets ... Only 4 percent of prescription drugs are sold by drug dealers. ... Teenagers taking their parents,' grandparents' and friends' prescription drugs. Parents and caregivers need to remember they are the first line of defense in addressing this troubling trend."

According to the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA), symptoms of prescription drug abuse may include constricted pupils, slurred speech, flushed skin, sweating and loss of appetite. Users may also exhibit personality changes, mood swings, irritability, and excessive energy or excessive sleepiness.

(Source: www.hattiesburgamerican.com)

Labels: prescription-drug-abuse, prescription drugs

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Authorities in southern Illinois are stepping up warnings about prescription drug abuse, especially by teenagers. Recent research has shown that prescription drug abuse is one of the fastest-growing trends in addiction in the United States. Wayne County Sheriff Jim Hinkle, who commented for a recent article, believes that more and more teens are using prescription substances because they are so easy to obtain, saying "They're getting them from their parents and grandparents." Sheriff Hinkle advises adults to get rid of old, unused prescriptions, as leaving them in the house makes it easier for kids to get to them.

(Source: www.wsiltv.com)

Labels: prescription drugs, illinois, abuse

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Approximately 1 in 5 teens have abused a prescription drug, but there are steps that parents can take to help prevent prescription drug abuse. Three easy measures can help keep prescription medications out of the hands of teenage recreational users.

First, parents should carefully monitor medication. This includes keeping track of all prescriptions for family members, including the frequency of refills. If pills start to disappear at a faster rate than the prescription dictates, this is a sign of a possible problem. In addition, ask friends and relatives to do the same, and inform them about the high risks associated with prescription drug abuse.

Second, parents should make sure that prescription medications are secure. In a recent government study, over two-thirds of teens who reported abusing prescription substances said they got the substances from a friend or relative (without their knowledge). Prescription medications should be safely hidden or kept under lock and key to prevent dangerous misuse. Don't leave them unattended in the medicine cabinet.

Third, parents should safely dispose of medications that are no longer in use. Many pharmacies will accept unfinished prescriptions for disposal - a much safer alternative to simply throwing half-full bottles in the household trash.

(Source: www.examiner.com)

Labels: prescription drugs, abuse, kids

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Vermont health officials are reporting a disturbing trend in the number of young adults abusing prescription drugs.

Five years ago, more people were receiving treatment for heroin addiction than prescription drugs (671 and 513, respectively), according to Barbara Cimaglio, deputy commissioner of the Vermont Department of Health. By last year, the number of heroin users dropped to 617, while those abusing prescription pills increased to 1,602.

Jesse, a young man interviewed by a local television news station for a story on the trend, recalls his history with prescription with drugs:

"When I first started, it was something new ... it felt good to do it. With friends, we'd always do it together. More and more, I was looking for it on my own. It's just your body's looking for that drug to be in there - and it's not - and there's nothing you can do about it. Except get more ... and as soon as you get it, in an instant, you're better."

Jesse started using drugs as a teen. Now 25 years old and living in Burlington, Vt., he is still trying to kick a habit that he says was ruining his and his family's lives.

Jesse's story is not unusual in Vermont. One drug use stabilization and detox center in Burlington reported that about half of the people who seek help abuse prescription drugs.

Tim Moran, the program's director, commented, "In my opinion, it's probably close to epidemic. It's there."

(Source: www.necn.com)

Labels: prescription drugs, vermont, youth abuse

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School officials from Washoe County, Nevada managed to capture the attention of a roomful of teenagers with the debut of a documentary titled “The Truth About Prescription Drug Use and Abuse.”

“At the back of the room Thursday, Davy Jones and Cathy Bandoni, whose 15-year-old son, Austin died last year after an accidental methadone overdoes, watched the video, in which they talk about his passions and finding him dead. At one point, Jones and Bandoni left the auditorium in tears.” [Source: Reno Gazette-Journal]

During an interview later, Bandoni said she’s glad the film was done “by kids for kids,” believing it’s likely to have a greater impact. Surveys have shown that prescription drug abuse by teenagers increased from 10.1 percent in 2007 to over 14 percent last year.

 

Labels: prescription drugs, drug prevention, students, schools, awareness

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One in five high school students has abused prescription drugs, 37 percent have tried marijuana, and 75 percent have tried alcohol, according to a new report published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The prescription drugs most frequently abused were OxyContin, Percocet, Xanax, and Ritalin. OxyContin is a powerful painkiller usually prescribed to cancer patients.

Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control said that the teenagers' drug and alcohol use was linked to the four main causes of death among that age group, which are car accidents, unintentional injury, homicide, and suicide.

In addition, a new report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration found that on an average day, more than half a million teenagers drink alcohol, more than half a million use marijuana, more than 640,000 use illegal drugs, and more than one million smoke cigarettes.

The agency estimates that about 85,000 people under age 18 are receiving treatment for a substance abuse problem.
 

Labels: alcohol, marijuana, prescription drugs, teen drug abuse, substance use

Posted By: Jane St. Clair 0 Comments

College students who abuse the prescription drug Adderall have below average grade point averages, according to a study from the University of Michigan.

Adderall is a stimulant used to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in children. College students and even professors abuse it in order to enhance their powers of concentration and ability to stay awake. It is an easy drug to obtain because it is so widely prescribed.

"The most common abusers are those students who do not study and procrastinate all semester, then tried to cram an entire course worth of material into one night, " said Aimee Hourigan, of the substance abuse and prevention program at the University of North Carolina. "These students panic and are much more likely to use the drug."

The University of North Carolina conducted a survey last spring of 600 students and found that about 19% had used Adderall as a study aid in the previous month. The survey also found that 24% of male students had used it compared to 15% of the females. Previous studies have concluded that almost one in ten college professors abuse Adderall.

 

Labels: prescription drugs, college, adderall

Posted By: Jane St. Clair 0 Comments

Abuse of prescription drugs among teenagers continues to rise, but resources for those who want to get help aren’t increasing at the same rate. The Director of Youth and Parenting Services Prevention Network in New York says people aren’t yet taking the problem seriously enough:

“While the Prevention Network has collected a thick book full of resources to share, there is only one section with in-patient information and two pieces of paper of adolescent counseling… Choices aren’t that much better or outpatient treatment. [”Source: WSYR-TV (Syracuse, NY)]

Adding to the challenge of finding treatment is the fact that most counseling services focus on older teenagers, even though younger ones are abusing prescription drugs, too.
 

Labels: prescription drugs, treatment

Posted By: Stefanie Hamilton 0 Comments