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Youth in the United States have had the benefit of drug education through school programs beginning in elementary school. They are educated about street drugs, warned about addiction, side effects and the social fallout when a person becomes addicted. However, the trend of using prescription drugs for non-medical purposes has been increasingly popular among teens.
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Understanding the use of drugs among all segments of the population is important for ensuring that the appropriate treatment options are available where they are needed. While most treatment center concentration is centered on urban areas, there are significant needs in rural communities as well.
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Parents, teachers and coaches are often challenged by the level of responsibility exhibited by teens under their care, when compared with their expectations. In one particular area, however, a new level of vigilance is required when guiding teens through responsible behavior.
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While not everyone can look at an individual and tell on sight whether or not the person has a problem with addiction, there are certain signs that can indicate things are not quite right. According to a recent TC Palm report, stealing and run-ins with the law are signs of a bigger problem.
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Long praised for their ability to quiet the brain and relax the patient, the line between a safe amount of barbiturate and a potentially deadly dose is a fine one. Phenobarbital is a type of barbiturate becoming increasingly popular among teens, who may not know its dangers – a problem that garners attention from parents, educators and doctors.
Phenobarbital, like other barbiturates, acts as a depressant by slowing the activity of the central nervous system. It is most often used to calm patients or stop convulsions, and is typically administered like a hypnotic, a sedative or an anesthetic. Phenobarbital can be given by injection, tablets or elixir and brand names include Luminal and Solfoton. Taken at appropriate dosages, phenobarbital can effectively sedate a patient with relatively minor side effects.
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Prescription 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.
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There is still a growing epidemic of prescription drug abuse among high school students. For too many of these individuals, the access to these drugs is as close as the medicine cabinet. It is up to parents to pay closer attention and become part of the solution in this growing problem.
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Young people are abusing prescription drugs with alarming frequency, sometimes during "pharm parties" where pills are set out like candy, a man whose son died of an overdose of painkillers told a conference Tuesday.
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According to a survey by the Partnership for a Drug Free America, one in five teens has experimented with legal medication at least once. Concerns are also growing that rising numbers of young people are being admitted to hospitals after overdosing.
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Kansas City teenagers are increasingly getting hooked on prescription painkillers and eventually turning to heroin. About 18 months ago, police officers in Johnson County started finding that more and more victims of heroin overdose were high-school students.
