Teens and Drugs

Here are some startling statistics:

One in five teens has tried Vicodin (narcotic pain reliever).

One in 10 has tried OyxContin (another narcotic).

One in 10 has abused Ritalin or Adderall (stimulants).

One in 11 admits to getting high on cough medicine.

Some teens abuse drugs daily; other abuse them “only” at parties and other social occasions. The practice has a name: “pharming,” as in “pharmaceuticals.” Often, these pharmaceuticals are found right in the teens’ own homes. If Mom or Dad takes a prescription drug for medical purposes, the teen may help himself (or herself — pharming is not exclusively the province of boys) to a few of the pills in the medicine cabinet or nighttable. And if the parent doesn’t take the pill on a specified schedule, i.e., one  daily or two daily, s/he may not even notice that pills are missing.

Another source of drugs for “recreational” use is online companies, which peddle pills with minimal requirements. A teen with a computer and a credit card (or debit card, which may be a free-standing pre-paid card or attached to a bank account or a PayPal account) can readily acquire the pills s/he craves if s/he knows where to look… and it isn’t hard to find out.

And of course, as always, there are people out there selling drugs “on the street.” “On the street” may mean in school or literally on a street corner or in any place where teens hang out.

Here are some more startling statistics:

4.5 million American kids have reported that they’ve abused prescription drugs.

2.1 million American kids have intentionally abused cough syrup.

Every day 2,700 teens try a prescription medicine to get high for the first time.

Half of teens do not see a great risk in abusing prescription or over-the-counter drugs.

Teens believe that abuse of Rx and OTC medicines is safer than street drugs.

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Now here’s a reassuring statistic: Kids who learn about the dangers of drugs from their parents are only half as likely to abuse drugs compared with those whose parents haven’t educated them.

What are you talking to your teen about tonight?