NO DROP IN TEENAGERS' ABUSE OF PAINKILLERS

Teenage smoking and drinking continue to drop, but teenage abuse of
prescription drugs has become "an entrenched behavior" that many
parents fail to recognize, according to a survey being released today.

For a third straight year, the Partnership Attitude Tracking Study,
conducted by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America, showed that
about 1 in 5 -- about 4.5 million -- teenagers have tried painkillers
such as Vicodin or OxyContin to get high.

Forty percent of teenagers surveyed said prescription medicines were
"much safer" than illegal drugs, while 31 percent said there was
"nothing wrong" with using prescription drugs "once in a while." The
study also found that 29 percent believe prescription pain relievers
are not addictive.

In 2003, the study found 20 percent of teenagers had tried the
prescription drugs Vicodin, OxyContin and Tylox. Over the next two
years, the numbers remained fairly steady.

Sixty-two percent of teenagers said prescription pain relievers are
easy to find at home.

The 2005 study surveyed more than 7,300 teenagers in grades seven through 12.