Power of Parents ® Middle School Handbook
Medications
Out of concern for alcohol and other substances, you might overlook talking with your child about over-the-counter (OTC) medications and prescription drugs. However, there are many mind-altering drugs commonly kept in your medicine cabinet that can be accessible and enticing to youth. Prescription drugs, when used properly under a doctor’s supervision, are generally safe. However, they can pose a threat when taken at the wrong
times, when not taken according to the correct dosage, and if taken by someone else. It can lead to abuse, addiction (for example, abusing prescription opioid pain relievers, like OxyContin and Vicodin, may lead to heroin use), and even death. Even OTC medications, like cough syrup and allergy medicines, are mind-altering and are therefore commonly abused. It is important to teach youth that medications taken properly come with benefits and may still have risks; but if taken improperly, can be dangerous.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) reports that :
47%
Nearly 1 in 4 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.
Kids might try to abuse prescription drugs for a variety of reasons:
To get high To feel better To help concentrate or stay alert
To lose weight To perform better in sports To entertain themselves or try a daring behavior
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