OPEN YOUR EYES TO YOUTH RX ABUSE

NEW YORK -- A RECENT SURVEY by the National Center on Addiction and Substance
Abuse, based at at Columbia University, found that increasing numbers
of young people were prone to abuse alcohol along with several kinds
of drugs, including prescription drugs, at parties and other social
gatherings. Worse yet, the study found that most parents had no clue
about such activities, even those who were at home during many of
these parties.

As parents open their eyes to this reality, they must also know that
the intentional abuse of prescription and over-the-counter drugs to
get high has quickly established itself as a serious new tier of teen
substance abuse, one that deserves great attention and their immediate
action.

Most kids know these drugs are easy to get, whether swiped from the
home or a friend's medicine cabinet or bought via the Internet. Few
parents suspect that medications in their own home can be pilfered by
young, curious, risk-taking teens.

This was certainly true for Linda Surks, who lost her son Jason to
prescription-drug abuse in 2003. As a substance-abuse-prevention
professional, Linda knew the warning signs to look for when it came to
illicit drugs but not those associated with medicine abuse. Jason, a
pre-pharmacy college student, not only knew how to access information
on prescription drugs online, he was able to buy them with ease over
the Internet. Jason's death revealed a whole new world of danger that
Linda, and hundreds of parents like her, never knew existed.

The 2005 Partnership Attitude Tracking Study found that an alarming
number of teens had a false sense of security about intentionally
abusing prescription drugs. In fact, nearly one in five teens across
America reported non-medical use of prescription drugs, including pain
relievers, stimulants and tranquilizers to get high. About 6 million
teens mistakenly believe that pain medications are not addictive.
Nearly a third of teens believe there is nothing wrong with the
occasional abuse of such medications to get high and almost 40 percent
think that prescription drugs are safer than such illegal substances
as marijuana, crack and heroin.

Today, when Linda speaks to parents, her message is loud and clear:
Parents might be naive to the dangers of prescription-drug abuse, but
they are not powerless to prevent this incredibly damaging behavior
with otherwise good medicine.

Parents should start by educating themselves about medications that
have potential for abuse, especially the ones in their own medicine
cabinet. Discuss with your kids that abusing medicine can be just as
dangerous, addictive and even deadly as using "street drugs."
Safeguard these medications by taking a regular inventory and keeping
tabs on exact quantities and dispose of ones that are no longer needed.

Communication between parents and their kids is the most effective
tool when it comes to preventing your kids from abusing prescription
drugs. Our research shows that young people who learn about the danger
of substance abuse at home are up to 50 percent less likely to experiment.

Sadly, fewer than a third of teens say they get this message from
their parents. Having frank discussions about drug and alcohol use is
often awkward and uncomfortable, but may ultimately save your child's
life.

Stephen J. Pasierb is president and CEO of Partnership for a Drug-Free
America.