A danger in your cabinet

Did you realize you might have prescription medication around your house that could be an issue of addiction and danger for your teen?! 1 in 5 teens has abused prescription pain relievers in their lifetime.

The University of Michigan did a new study that found, "10.4 % of the teens and young adults treated in the emergency room for any reason admitted to misusing a prescription painkiller or sedative at least once in the last year." These findings include taking drugs prescribed to someone else, taking more 
than the prescribed dosage, or simply taking them to get high. source


In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has estimated that 100 deaths per day, and around 700,000 emergency department (ED) visits per year, result from prescription drug overdoses. source


Why are teens doing this?

• 12 reasons teens use RX drugs: 

62%: Easy to get from parent's medicine cabinets

52%: Available everywhere

51%: They are not illegal drugs

50%: Easy to get through other people's prescriptions

49%: Can claim to have prescription if caught

43%: They are cheap

35%: Safer to use than illegal drugs

33%: Less shame attached to using

32%: Easy to purchase over the internet

32%: Fewer side effects than street drugs

25%: Can be used as study aids

21%: Parents don't care as much if caught

Where are teens getting prescription medicine?

• "65 percent of teens are getting them from friends, family and acquaintances. Some teens share Rx medicines among themselves handing out or selling their own pills or those they’ve acquired or stolen from classmates."  source

What are the risks?

• The are several obvious risks which have short and long-term effects.  Some of these include: dependency, addiction, overdosing and mixing Rx medicine with over-the counter medicine and/or alcohol.

Obviously, this is a very serious and growing concern.  It's important to be informed, understand the signs, risks and communicate with teens about this issue.

For those who are local to Northwest Indiana, you can check here for local prescription drug drop-off locations so that unused medication does not get into the wrong hands. 

Want to learn more? Go to www.pathblazer.org/ATIC2014 

Substance abuse, teens and a free event!

Do you know if your child has experimented with drugs or alcohol?  Is he/she showing signs of abuse or addiction?  Would you know what those signs look like?

We, at A Positive Approach to Teen Health help are committed to educating and empowering teens to make healthy choices and we also want to help you - parents and guardians. In today's culture, there are so many issues to be aware of and informed about as a parent of a teenager.  Substance abuse is one of those issues.

The Office of Adolescent Health reports:

• In the past month, 40 percent of high school seniors reported drinking some alcohol, almost 15 percent of adolescents abused marijuana, and 13 percent of adolescents reported smoking cigarettes. 

• By the twelfth grade, about half of adolescents have abused an illicit drug at least once. The most commonly used drug is marijuana but adolescents can find many abused substances, such as prescription medications, glues, and aerosols, in the home.

• Within the past month, four out of 10 high school seniors report drinking some alcohol and more than one in three have engaged in “binge drinking".

Join us as community members and parents unite in BREAKING THE SILENCE about substance abuse and addiction issues. Hear from parents and children who have overcome and are ready to share their struggles, fears, and hopes for the future.

Learn the signs of substance abuse and ways to communicate with your teen about the dangers of drug and alcohol use. We hope you will take join us in this important (free) event that could save a future and/or a life. 

Get more information and register here.