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Dayton Daily News education reporter Scott Elliott writes about schools, kids, teaching and learning.
Home > Blogs > Get on the Bus > Archives > 2008 > March > 03 > Entry
Prescription drugs a hit with teens
Last week I followed up on the story of six Troy High School students who were hospitalized for taking prescription drugs to try to get high. An editor asked me to find out what I could about teen use of prescriptions.
It’s not as if I hadn’t heard that prescription drug abuse was a growing problem. Still, I was a bit surprised to learn prescription drugs were No. 2 behind marijuana for the most popular recreational drugs used by teens.
Apparently, prescriptions drugs are popular partly because teens believe they are safe since they come from a doctor. They fail to appreciate the danger of not following a doctor’s orders when using them. Deaths from prescription drug abuse have also seen a huge spike in recent years.
In fact, federal agencies are rushing to build Web sites and and launch ad campaigns to raise awareness about the problem.
Does this surprise you to learn how popular these drugs are with teens?
(Image credit: Ironman Life)
Permalink | Comments (5) | Categories: Student Health and Safety
Comments
By Laura
March 4, 2008 8:13 PM | Link to this
I don’t believe teens who abuse drugs use prescription drugs because they think they are safe. They raid friend’s drug cabinets. They get on the internet and read about the drugs they get access to so they can find out which ones have a warning not to take with alcohol- and then they do just that. Teens who decide to abuse drugs, prescription or not, will find a way. You can lock up your prescription drugs, they’ll break the lock. Keep a short “leash” on them, they’ll find a friend with a parent who is sympathetic to the “tyranny” you are enforcing and will cover for them. Limit the money they have and they’ll shoplift cough syrup to make a “robo-bomb”.By Lea
March 4, 2008 4:25 PM | Link to this
YAY - it is about time someone said something about being friends with our kids. We’re parents first. I am friends with my Mom - but I am 35 years old - and she STILL knows best. My almost-teen stepdaughter’s mother thinks they should be friends, not mother and daughter, and it’s not turning out well. Thank goodness the kids have a father who knows he is one!By Betty
March 4, 2008 3:58 PM | Link to this
Teens using prescription drugs doesn’t shock me because the drugs are so readily available. Very few parents lock up their meds. Maybe they should.By Mary
March 3, 2008 10:39 PM | Link to this
No, I am not surprised. I have noticed a public service announcement on television about it for some time. I think I saw it twice on CNN tonight. The young man goes through the bottles and points out he is taking this for post partum depression, that for pain for a hip relacement, etc.By socialwrkr
March 3, 2008 10:21 PM | Link to this
Doesn’t surprise me a bit as I also think we are seeing a rise in adults abusing prescription drugs. Cheaper and “safer” and easier to get. It is a concern and it’s one we need to be addressing. As a society as a whole, we have become too lacksidasical in our parenting and wanting to be friends with our kids. It doesn’t work. It’s not ok for our kids to experiment with any kinds of drugs or alcohol.