Statistics show that more than 6.2 million people age 12 and older abused prescription drugs in the last month. Only 4.7 percent of people 12 and older who abuse prescription drugs get them from a stranger, drug dealer, or the Internet. Fifty-six percent obtained the drug they most recently abused from friends or relatives

"We know that prescription drug abuse among kids starts with access to the family’s medicine cabinet," said Peggy Sapp, President and CEO of NFP. "With more than 4,000 children and young adults experimenting with prescription drugs every day, this day is intended as a wakeup call for all parents to take responsibility for what is happening in their home and lock up their prescription medications. Parents literally hold the key to their children’s drug-free future."

The second generation "Lock Your Meds" Day is part of the 24th annual Red Ribbon Week during October 23-31, the oldest and largest drug abuse prevention program in the United States. To help reach children and teens with the drug-free messages during this time, NFP reaches out to more than 91,000 schools across the country and encourages these schools and communities to unite and take a visible stand against drug abuse.

NFP urges parents and family members to take the following steps to prevent teen prescription drug abuse:

– Lock your prescription medication and prevent abuse or misuse by
securing the medication in your home.

– Take inventory of your current medications and periodically check that
nothing is missing.

– Educate yourself and your children about the most commonly abused types of prescription medications and communicate the dangers to your child regularly.

– Set clear rules and monitor behavior by expressing your disapproval of
using prescription drugs without a prescription.

– Properly dispose of old and unused medications.

To help parents take these steps and prevent prescription drug abuse in their homes, the campaign website (http://www.lockyourmeds.com) includes easy-to-use resources such as a home medicine inventory card and downloadable guidelines on how to properly dispose of prescription medicine.

Parents can take a stand against prescription drug abuse by signing an online pledge and sharing their message with friends and family.

For more information on teen prescription drug abuse, Red Ribbon Week or to download "Lock Your Meds" materials, please visit http://www.lockyourmeds.com or call 305-856-4886 or toll-free at 800-705-8997.

While OTC cough medicines containing dextromethorphan (DXM) are safe and effective when used as directed, they can be dangerous when abused in extreme amounts to get high.

Dr. Drew and the Five Moms want parents of teens to know the ABCs of preventing cough medicine abuse in their family:

A: Recognize that Abuse of OTC cough medicine is an issue among teens. Parents may think, "Not my teen," but one in 10 teens reports having abused OTC cough medicines to get high and 28 percent of teens know someone who has tried it.

B: Be aware of the warning signs. Some of the warning signs parents should look for include:
– Empty cough medicine boxes or bottles in the trash of your child’s room
or in your child’s backpack
– Missing boxes or bottles of medication from the medicine cabinet
– Changes in friends, physical appearance, or sleeping and eating patterns
– Loss of interest in hobbies or favorite activities
– Hearing your child use certain slang terms related to DXM abuse, such as Dex, Skittling, Tussing, Robo-Tripping, Triple Cs, etc.

C: Communicate. Talk to your teen about the dangers of abuse. Kids who learn about the dangers of drug abuse from their parents are half as likely to abuse drugs. Parents can visit StopMedicineAbuse.org, where they can access the resources they need to talk with their teens about the issue.

"Parents have far more power than they realize to keep their kids drug-free but our legislators also play a role in preventing this problem," said Dr. Drew Pinsky, host of the popular radio show Loveline and the star of the VH1 hits "Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew" and "Sober House."

"In addition to raising awareness about the dangers of cough medicine abuse, the Five Moms and I are spending today on Capitol Hill to encourage our elected officials to pass key legislation that would prohibit the sale of the raw form of dextromethorphan online, prohibit the sale of OTC cough medicine to those under 18 years of age."

In addition to supporting the efforts of Dr. Drew and the Five Moms, the leading makers of OTC cough medicines have included a new educational icon for parents on the packaging of OTC cough medicines.

"The makers of cough medicine are steadfast in their commitment to raise awareness about the dangers of cough medicine abuse," said Linda A. Suydam, D.P.A., Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA) president.

"Medicines containing dextromethorphan have a 50-year history of being safe and effective when used correctly. But when abused in extreme excess, dextromethorphan can produce dangerous side effects, especially when combined with alcohol, illicit drugs, or certain prescription drugs. We encourage parents to visit StopMedicineAbuse.org to learn more about the issue and engage in conversations about the dangers of medicine abuse with their teens."

StopMedicineAbuse.org was developed by the leading makers of OTC cough medicines to build awareness around the potential for this type of substance abuse behavior, provide tips to prevent it from happening, and encourage parents to safeguard their medicine cabinets.

Bruce King, Marshfield School District superintendent, said that parents whose children take prescription medication should contact their child’s school to learn specific policies, because state statutes require schools to take strict precautions when administering prescription drugs to students.

While prescribed drugs given out by school employees with parent approval are carefully monitored, it’s the prescription medications children might take without supervision that have officials concerned.

Parents need to talk with children about the dangers of taking prescription drugs that belong to someone else or misusing their own medication, said Wisconsin Rapids Officer Andy Dewitt, school liaison officer. Children are curious, so they’re likely to experiment with prescription drugs that are easily accessible, he said.

Dewitt told the story of a teenager who started having seizures and had to be taken to the hospital because she overdosed on medication used to help people stop smoking. Friends told her the pills would give her a “good high.”

Dewitt recommends having a system in place that ensures prescription medications are locked and secure. Accessibility to prescription drugs at home is often much easier than to alcohol, tobacco, or illegal drugs, said Wisconsin Rapids Police Officer Todd Andrys, who works as the school safety officer in Wisconsin Rapids.

Parents should keep track of the number of prescription pills in the house—both for them and for their children. If medication appears to be missing, they should ask their children questions. Expired and unused medications are also a concern. “I encourage parents or anyone to get rid of those medications they’re no longer using," Andrys said.

Getting caught with someone else’s prescription or selling prescription drugs at school can lead to considerable trouble. Wisconsin Rapids School District Superintendent Bob Crist said a student found to be giving prescription drugs to another student will be subject to an expulsion hearing. Students caught with prescription drugs also are referred to social services for appropriate action and could end up with a juvenile record. If they’re 17 years old or older, they might face criminal charges in adult court.