1. Prescription / Over-the-Counter Drugs

2. Real Danger Abusing prescription (RX) and over-the-counter (OTC)drugs can be just asdangerous, addictive andeven deadly as usingstreet drugsNational Institute on Drug Abuse, 2008 3. Rx/OTC AbuseEvery day, 2,500 teens abuse a prescription drugfor the first time.Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, National Studyon Drug Use and Health, 2007 4. Rx abuse represents new tierof teen lifetime use 44%23%17%13%12% 11%9% 7%5%0%10% 20% 30% 40%50%Partnership for a Drug-Free America, Partnership Attitude Tracking Study, 2009 5. How Rx drugs are obtained%242520151510 5 1 0Got it from aMedicine cabinetInternet friendin my homePartnership for a Drug-Free America, Prescription / Over-the-Counter Drug Study, 2008 6. Rx/OTC Medicines Being Abused Rx pain relievers (Vicodin, OxyContin) Rx stimulants (Adderall, Ritalin) Rx tranquilizers/sedatives (Xanax, Valium) OTC cough/cold with DXM (Robitussin, Coricidin) 7. Troubling Indicators ofMedicine Abuse Unintentional drug poisoning now secondleading cause of accidental death in US, aftercar crashes Emergency room visits related to Rx/OTCabuse now almost equal to ER visits due toall street drugs Rx drugs are now the most commonly abuseddrugs among 12-13 year olds Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, The Three Leading Causes of Injury Mortality in the United States, 1999-2005, 2008; Drug AbuseWarning Network; Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, National Study on Drug Use and Health, 2007 8. Medicine Abuse Normalized inTeen Culture 1 in 3 teens report having a closefriend who abuses Rx pain relieversto get high 1 in 5 report abusing an RxmedicinePartnership for a Drug-Free America, Partnership Attitude Tracking Study, 2008 9. Key Factors DrivingTeen Medicine Abuse Misperceptions that abusing medicine is not dangerous (safer than street drugs) Ease of access via medicine cabinets athome or friends house, own or otherpersons prescriptions 10. Teen perceptions ofsafetySanitizedSanctioned SafeCreated in a Accepted by Certified medicalsociety as by FDA laboratory a positive for healingpurposes 11. What about parents perceptions? Street drugs are generally considered moredangerous Parents are less familiar with pills theyoften have no frame of reference since thesetypes of drugs of abuse didnt exist in theiryouth Theres a lack of urgency around Rx-OTC 12. Parent/Kid Conversation Only 1 in 5 (20%) teens report that theirparents have never talked to them aboutalcohol or illegal drugs Half of teens (51%) say their parents havenever talked to them about prescriptiondrug abusePartnership for a Drug-Free America, Partnership Attitude Tracking Study,2008 13. Take Action! Learn about medications kids are abusing Talk with your kids / kids in your life about therisks Safeguard medications at home (and askfriends to do the same) Dispose of medications properly