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 Carlito
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 Illegal-drug use down, but rising teen trend worrisome
#6402741 - 12/27/06 04:43 PM |
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http://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061227/OPINION01/612270301/1014/OPINION
The "Monitoring the Future" study involved 50,000 students in both high school and middle school, and found that pain-killing drugs such as OxyContin and Vicodin, as well as stimulants such as Ritalin, are becoming increasingly popular. When it comes to OxyContin, for example, 2.6 percent of eight-graders and 3.8 percent of 10th-graders reported using the prescription drug. While that is a relatively small number of students, that rate is substantially higher than the 1.8 percent and 3.2 percent, respectively, who reported such drug use in the previous year's study.
This year was the first time that the study asked teens about use of over-the-counter cough syrup or cold medicine to get high. One in 25 eighth-graders and one in 14 high school seniors said they had abused such medicines in the past year.
Such findings should not overshadow the fact that the study found regular marijuana use among teens declined for the fifth year in a row. It's also good news that fewer high school seniors reported using any illegal drugs this year - dropping to 36.5 percent in 2006 from 38.4 percent in 2005.
But the increasing use of prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications to get high should send a message to parents: We need to be more careful about the types of pills and medications we leave around our homes, such as in medicine cabinets or on kitchen shelves.
Whereas many parents have been quick to look for tell-tale signs of illegal drugs - bags of marijuana or drug paraphernalia, for example - in their children's bedrooms, we have not been as vigilant about legal medications that have legitimate purposes, but which also can be abused nonetheless.
This latest study should wake us up to the importance of monitoring all medications in our homes. If someone is on a prescription drug, he or she should pay attention to how many pills or tablets are being used daily. We should monitor who is using what medication and how much, and get rid of prescription drugs when they are no longer needed or expired.
There are many health conditions that are treated or alleviated by medication. Millions of people depend on prescription drugs every day. But it is important that our children realize that such medications, when taken for purposes other than what they are intended for, can be dangerous. They need to understand that taking such drugs for "fun" can lead to addiction and even death. Just because they are legal to dispense does not mean that they can't be harmful when abused.
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