For
 Parents
Some teens are using
prescription pain
medicine to get high.
- According to the Healthy Youth Survey
(2010), eight percent of 10th graders used prescription pain medicine to get high in the past 30
days.
- Because prescription drugs are
prescribed by a health care provider and easy to
access, many teens falsely believe they are a
safe way to get high.
- There are serious health risks related to
abuse of prescription pain medicine. These include
impaired judgment and ability to learn, trouble
breathing, extreme drowsiness, effects on motor
skills, and death from accidental overdose.
- Prescription pain medicines are also addictive
because they impact the same areas of the brain
as heroin.
Between 2002 and 2010 in Washington State, the
number of teens admitted to state-funded chemical
dependency treatment for abuse of prescription
pain medicines increased 14 times, from 12 to 191.
What are the potential signs and
symptoms of prescription drug
abuse?
- Constricted pupils, slurred speech, or
flushed skin.
- Personality changes, mood
swings, irritability, excessive energy,
sleepiness or avoiding sleep.
- Sweating, loss
of appetite, forgetfulness, or clumsiness.
-
Missing pills from the medicine cabinet or
unfamiliar pills around the house.
- Secretiveness, loss of interest in personal
appearance, borrowing money or having extra
cash, skipping classes, or not doing well in
school.
What can parents do to prevent
their kids from abusing prescription drugs?
- Educate yourself about medicine that kids
are abusing. Share this information with
others who are in contact with your children,
such as school administrators, coaches, counselors, etc.
- Talk with your kids. Find out what your kids
know about peers using medicine without doctors'
orders.
- Ask your healthcare provider if any
medicines prescribed for your family have a
potential for abuse.
- Take an inventory of
prescription and over-the-counter medicine in
your home. Ask friends and family to do the
same. Pay attention to quantities.
- Keep prescription pain medicine in a locked box, locked
file cabinet, fire proof safe, or gun safe.
- Set clear expectations with your teenagers.
Let them know that they should never take
medicine without your knowledge.
- If your child needs medicine during school
hours, speak with school officials about their
policies for taking medicine at school. If
possible, personally take the medicine to the
school nurse. Make sure unused medicine is
returned to you.
- Supervise and dispense medicine
dose-by-dose.
- Properly dispose of old or
unused medicines. For disposal information,
please see the following website:http://www.takebackyourmeds.org/what-you-can-do/locations
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