Easy Access Drives Teen Use of Prescription Drugs
Posted on March 9, 2010Prescription medication was originally marketed as a way to allow medical patients to find relief from pain, a control mechanism for depression or anxiety and even controlled weight loss. Now, more and more individuals are developing addiction problems with prescription medications.
A recent KSFY report showed that the Keystone Treatment Center was treating more and more teens for prescription drug abuse. In fact, one representative of the center said this type of dependence is one of the biggest issues affective teens at their center.
Patients can run as young as 13 and while they often develop the addiction as a result of taking the pills to get high, they rarely achieve the high they desire. Unfortunately, the side effects can often be devastating, including lower heart rates.
While rarely heard of, we spoke with a Keystone Treatment Center representative who says prescription drug use is one of the biggest issues affecting teens at their center.
For students at Roosevelt High School, the drug of choice was hydrocodone. In addition to this medication, students would also seek to gain a high from Ritalin, OxyContin and Xanax. Such medications are easily available in home medicine cabinets. Students will take them from this easy access portal to ingest or sell to other students for profit.
It isn’t unusual to see teens seeking help for addiction at these centers who were able to obtain their drug of choice by selling others. One kid taking Ritilin may sell it to others for $30 to $40 a pill.
Parents need to become educated of the risks and aware of the activities of their children. If their teen looks funny, staggers when walking or has blood-shot eyes, it is time to seek help. Statistics are showing that one out of every five kids – or 20 percent – have tried prescription drugs. The time to act is now.
