Teen Use of Prescription and OTC Drugs on the Increase

Hospitals, doctors and anti-drug advocates are worried about a mounting trend: teenage abuse of prescription and common household medicines.

(PRWEB) October 16, 2004 -- As treatment providers we are concerned about the growing trend seen in teenagers of misusing common household medicines. This evidence is from reports by educators in high schools and middle schools and by doctors and nurses that staff our emergency rooms.

The problem is that an increasing number of young people are misusing, cold and cough suppressants, cough syrups, motion-sickness drugs and over-the-counter pain medications to get a high. Often these medications used in conjunction with high caffeinated drinks.

"This is clearly a problem that affects teens in urban and suburban areas and will be the next critical area of substance abuse in our communities, said Michael Nanko, Ph.D. at the Thelma McMillen Center for Chemical Dependency Treatment in Torrance, California and Chief Operating Officer for American Health Management. "We have been tackling teen abuse of crack, meth, marijuana and alcohol but we are now confronted with the rapidly growing use of prescription drug or over-the-counter drugs. Some young people are using all the above. Whatever they can get their hands on at the moment. Many teens are securing the prescription medications at home and we see a rising use of Vicodin, Norco, Oxycontin, Xanax, valium and even inappropriate use of antidepressants -- anything to get a buzz."

According to the 2003 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, the number of teens calling poison-control centers nationwide about cough medicine misuse has doubled in four years. In addition, the abuse of prescription drugs by teens was second only to marijuana use

"School counselors and drug counselors are working hard to identify this problem in their students but this is difficult to detect and may not stand out like purchasing and using pot. There is almost an aura of legitimacy to the misuse of prescription and OTC meds because they are licit medications. It just makes the counselors and parents job all that more difficult, reports Nanko

Treatment Centers like the Thelma McMillen Center are bringing this issue directly to the school and parent groups. School officials, parents, police, fire departments and emergency rooms are all seeing the effects and hopefully community interventions will begin throughout this country to stem this ever growing problem.

School officials and health officials are equally concerned that more teenagers are using prescription stimulants and some are mixing stimulants like Ritalin with inhalants like correction fluid and room deodorizers. This drug combination can be a killer as it can disturb heart rhythm.

The Torrance Memorial Medical Centers' Thelma McMillen Center can be reached at (310) 784-4879.
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