Editor’s Note: Community Comment is a periodic column in The Mount Airy News featuring commentary from community leaders in Mount Airy and Surry County. This particular column is part of a monthly series on drug abuse prevention and treatment.
As a parent of a teenager, you may have spoken to your child about illegal substances and their harmful effects. But did you know that legally prescribed medications are also a cause of concern? An alarming number of teenagers are more likely to have abused prescription and over-the-counter drugs than some illegal drugs, such as ecstasy, cocaine, crack, and methamphetamine.
The dangers of prescription medicine abuse include dependence, slower brain activity, irregular heartbeats, dangerously high body temperature, heart failure, or lethal seizures. Prescription drug abuse also increases emergency room visits and suicide attempts. There are a tremendous number of emergency room visits each year, which involve the nonmedical use of prescription drugs.
The easiest way for teens to obtain prescription medicines is from their friends or their parents’ medicine cabinet. It is so common that it could happen even in your house! In fact, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration:
Nearly one is four teens (23%) report taking a prescription drug not prescribed to them by a doctor at least once in their lives.
Almost half of teens (47%) say it is easy to get prescription drugs from a parent’s medicine cabinet.
Teens are abusing everything from pain medicines to stimulants, sedatives, and tranquilizers.
Parents can make a difference. Kids who continue to learn about the risks of drugs at home are up to 50 percent less likely to use drugs than those who are not taught about the dangers. Only 22% of teens report discussing the risks of abusing any prescription drug without a doctor’s prescription with their parents. It’s up to you to talk openly with your kids.
Remember, keep it low-key. Don’t worry, you don’t have to get everything across in one talk. Plan to have many short talks. Talk with your child. They really do hear you.
If you, or someone you know, would benefit from learning more about “Talk. They Hear You,” contact Charlotte Reeves, Surry County Office of Substance Abuse Recovery Community Outreach Coordinator, at reevesc@co.surry.nc.us. Visit the website at surrycountycares.com for more information about substance use disorder and the many resources in Surry County.
Source: https://www.mtairynews.com
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