What We Don’t Know Can Hurt Us
– Brooke Johns, Medford’s Drug Free Communities Coordinator
As parents, relatives, teachers and other concerned adults we spend a lot of time helping teens circumvent the challenges that could harm their lives. Perhaps one of the biggest challenges teens face is substance abuse. We talk to them about the hazards of underage alcohol use, binge drinking, drunk and drugged driving, and the risks of abusing marijuana and other dangers. According to national statistics, we are making an impact with most illicit drug use going down over time.
However, what has not been seen is a decline is the nonmedical use of prescription drugs. This drug category requires our immediate attention because it is affecting our family, friends, and neighbors daily. The fact is that one in five teens, or 4.5 million young people, have abused prescription drugs (National Council on Patient Information and Education). They are abusing these medications to get high, fall asleep, wake up and deal with stress.
Did you know that everyday almost 2,500 teens abuse prescription medication for the first time? According to the Medford Communities That Care Youth Survey 2011, lifetime use for prescription pain relievers (such as OxyContin, Percodan, Percocet, and Vicodin) is at 3.9% for middle school students, and 9.6 % for high school students. These rates are high for our youth, and could be the start to more serious troubles later on in life. Research shows that the earlier youth start using drugs the more likely they are to become addicted.
Teens believe that because prescription medications are legal, they are safer than their illicit counterparts, making these medications the statistical drug of choice. Prescription drugs are also easy to get. Seventy percent (70%) of people aged 12 and older who use prescription medications non-medically say they obtain these drugs from friends and relatives (National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2008), meaning that these drugs are freely shared or taken from medicine cabinets or other accessible places.
How do we protect the rights of those who need these medications to relieve pain, while also preventing their abuse? We have got to sound the alarm to parents and adult caregivers that prescription drugs are a source of grave concern. Teens are abusing these drugs and some are even dying because of it. Prescription drug abuse is a national epidemic. As adults, we need to lock up medications, keep track of medication quantities, and learn how to properly dispose of unused medications. There are 3 steps to ensuring safety 1) Secure; 2) Monitor; and 3) Dispose.
Be part of the solution by eliminating your home of prescription drugs that are affecting all walks of life. Education and information sharing is also critical in addressing the issue in our own community. In an effort to decrease the risk of diversion, use and abuse we encourage you to participate in National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day being held on Saturday, April 28th at Medford City Hall.
For more information pertaining to prescription drug use, contact: Team Medford –TeamMedford02155@gmail.com.