The National Institute of Drug Abuse estimates that teenagers and young adults are the largest groups currently using prescription medication for recreational purposes. In NIDA's most recent survey on teens and drugs, 36 percent of high school seniors admitted to having used drugs at least once in the previous 12 months.

"Many adults.... may not realize that it could be poor judgment to leave those medications accessible around the home. For example, a teen's mother just returned home after having surgery. That teen knows her mother is taking a pain reliever called OxyContin. When no one is looking, the teen gets into the bottle and gets a couple of pills. No one is the wiser."

Pain relievers, stimulants, sedatives and tranquilizers are the most commonly misused and abused prescription drugs. Parents need to keep prescription medications locked up, and should observe their teens for common indicators of a drug or alcohol problem. Source: The Purell Register


Learn everything you want to know (and some things you might not want to know) about prescription drug abuse at http://www.teenoverthecounterdrugabuse.com.

Drug Rehab information

Labels: addictions, medications, prescription_drug_abuse

Amy Smith felt relief and hope when her son Ryan was diagnosed as bipolar. She was elated to have found out what was wrong and begin finding ways to help him. Then, just three days later, her relief turned to despair when Ryan died of a drug overdose.

"Smith believes that chemical addictions develop more from prescription and over-the-counter drugs than the illegal stuff the pusher is dispensing on the street corner."

Ryan died, not from cocaine or heroin, but from a lethal mix of a narcotic painkiller and prescription pills used for treating panic disorder. Smith hopes that her son's tragic story will once again bring into the spotlight the often-talked-about, but also often-ignored dangers of prescription drug abuse. Source: Gainesville Times

Not sure what's going on with your teenager? The Aspen Institute for Behavioral Assessment can help. The Institute provides comprehensive tests to arrive at an accurate diagnosis and treatment program.

Labels: bi-polar, overdose, prescription_drug_abuse

From 1995 to 2005, the number of drug-treatment patients who sought help for prescription drug abuse increased by over 300 percent. This is one of the statistics that has prompted the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy to initiate a $14 million campaign to raise awareness and educate parents about teenage prescription-drug abuse.

"The campaign began with television ads during this year's Super Bowl, and it will continue with broadcast, print, and online advertising, as well as community outreach and online research for parents."

In the latest study by Partnership for a Drug Free America, one in five teens admitted to abusing prescription painkillers, and one in five also admitted to abusing prescription stimulants and tranquilizers. Prescription drugs are more commonly abused by teenagers than cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine combined. Read more at DailyIowan.com.

Labels: awareness, prescription_drug_abuse, treatment_programs

This year's Monitoring the Future survey has found that drug use among adolescents is continuing to decline. Reported use of some drugs declined significantly.

"Annual prevalence for the three grades combined [8th, 10th, and 12th] did fall significantly this year for both Ritalin and methamphetamine. Ritalin is a prescription amphetamine drug used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Its use outside of medical supervision was first measured in the study in 2001; it has been falling since then, with total declines of between 25 percent and 42 percent at each grade level."

Though use of many drugs has decreased, some - unfortunately - have increased. Over-the-counter cold medication and ecstasy both increased, though neither increase was significant. Monitoring the Future is an annual study sponsored by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and conducted by the University of Michigan.

Labels: addictions, drug_use, prescription_drug_abuse