| Attention MARQUETTE COUNTY
Prescription Drug Abuse ALERT!!!!!!
More young people ages 12-17 abuse prescription drugs than any illicit drug except marijuanamore than cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine combined.
Students in big cities are "pharming" these days- "pharming" being new lexicon for grabbing "a handful" of prescription drugs and ingesting some or all of them.
There are an estimated 800,000 web sites which sell prescription drugs on the Internet and will ship them to households no questions asked. Over the past decade-and-a-half, the number of teen and young adult (ages 12 to 25) new abusers of prescription painkillers such as oxycodone (OxyContin) or hydrocodone (Vicodin) has grown five-fold (from 400,000 in the mid-eighties to 2 million in 2000). What you can do to combat this growing problem and safeguard yourself and your property at the same time.
Facts:
More teens abuse prescription drugs than any illicit drug except marijuana.
The majority of teens who abuse prescription drugs get them easily and for free, primarily from friends and relatives.
Teens are also abusing some over-the-counter (OTC) cough and cold remedies to get high, which is especially troubling given teens easy access to these products.
Many parents are not aware of teen prescription drug abuse. Teens say their parents are not discussing these dangers with them, even though research shows that parental disapproval is a powerful way to keep teens from using drugs.
Parents are in a unique position to immediately reduce teen access to prescription drugs because they are found in the home.
Teens are abusing prescription drugs because many believe the myth that these drugs provide a safe high and they are easily available.
There has been a dramatic increase in the number of poisonings and even deaths associated with the abuse of prescription and OTC drugs.
The prescription drugs most commonly abused by teens are painkillers, prescribed to treat pain; depressants, such as sleeping pills or anti-anxiety drugs; and stimulants, mainly prescribed to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
Some teens use prescription and OTC drugs with alcohol or other drugs, which could lead to dangerous drug interactions and other serious medical consequences.
Steps you can take right now to curb this disturbing trend:
Do you have Vicodin for your bad back? Percocet for that recurring knee injury? Painkillers like these are the prescription drugs most likely to be abused. Examples of painkillers include OxyContin, Vicodin, and Tylenol with Codeine.
Realize 1 in 4 kids with a prescription for stimulant medication has been approached with offers to sell, give, or trade their drugs. If your child has a prescription for stimulants, monitor dosage and the number of pills. Signs of stimulant abuse include anxiety, flushed skin, excessive energy, lack of sleep, irritability, or loss of appetite. Examples of stimulants include Adderall, Ritalin, and Concerta.
Always keep track of pill amounts, dosages, and the number of remaining refills. Be on alert for missing pills.
If you have unneeded or expired medications, properly conceal and dispose of them by putting them in a bag or container, and mixing them with something unappealing, like kitty litter or coffee grounds. Then throw the bag in the trash. Also, remove any personal, identifiable information from prescription bottles or pill packages before you throw them away.
Keep all medicines, both prescription and over-the-counter, in a safe place -such as a locked cabinet or in an area not known for keeping medicine. Consider creating a camouflage container where you can store your medications and have easy access to them, but where a snooping person would not think to look.
Cathy is concerned and alarmed by this growing trend and if elected, is committed to educating the Marquette County community about this problem and working with service providers, educators, parents, law enforcement and the medical profession to enhance the safety, health and well-being of all Marquette County residents. |
