Preventing Rx Abuse in Your Community. Coalitions should feel free to adapt the following slides into their education and outreach activities. Here’s.

Preventing Rx Abuse in Your Community

Coalitions should feel free to adapt the following slides into their education and outreach activities. Here’s what you’ll find:

About this presentation

1. The Teen – Rx Abuse Connection

2. Facts & Stats

3. Teen & Adult Attitudes About Rx Abuse

4. Outreach to Teens, Parents, Families &

Community

5. Want to Learn More?

We have placed relevant source information in the notes section of each slide.

RX ABUSE PREVENTION TOOLKIT - from awareness to action

Rx Medications are All Around Us…and Teens Notice

The Teen – Rx Abuse Connection

There’s a “pill for every ill,” and when we

go to the doctor due to illness, it’s natural

to want to walk out with a prescription!

Direct-to-consumer advertising on TV and

in magazines is pervasive.

Many people don’t know how to safely use

these medications or ignore their doctor’s

instructions.

Every day, 2000 teens abuse a

prescription drug for the first time.RX ABUSE PREVENTION TOOLKIT - from awareness to action

Rx drugs are part of teen culture. Teens

As a result…

Normalize this form of drug abuse.

Take these meds for legitimate reasons –

with or without a prescription – to stay

awake, remain alert or to go to sleep.

Purposely abuse these drugs to get high.

They participate in “pharming” and

“bowling” parties.

Are often unaware that these activities

can lead to disastrous results.


that abusing Rx drugs canTeenagers don’t know

Increase blood pressure or heart rate.

Damage the brain and other organs.

Lead to accidental overdose / poisonings.

Cause physical dependency and / or

addiction.

Disrupt breathing (respiratory

depression).

Lead to risks associated with mixing

multiple drugs or combining with alcohol.

Cause seizures and even death.


Facts & Stats

While Rx drugs serve an important purpose

when used under a doctor’s care, the misuse

of prescription medicines is a growing, under-

recognized problem that puts young lives at

risk.


Did you know?

Next to marijuana, the most common illegal

drugs teens are abusing are prescription

medicines.

While there continues to be a long-term drop in

past-year non-medical use of Rx medicines

overall, the increased abuse of prescription

stimulants—particularly among teens and young

people—is a cause of concern.


Teens’ Rx Drugs of Choice For Abuse

How they work Abused by teens/young adults to:

Drug names

Strong pain relievers

Used to relieve moderate-to-severe pain, these medications block pain signals to the brain

Get high, increase feelings of well being by affecting the brain regions that mediate pleasure

Vicodin, OxyContin,Percocet, Lorcet, Lortab, Actiq, Darvon, codeine, morphine,methadone

Stimulants Primarily used to treat ADHD type symptoms, these speed up brain activity causing increased alertness, attention, and energy that comes with elevated blood pressure, increased heart rate and breathing

Feel alert, focused and full of energy—perhaps around final exams or to manage coursework, lose weight

Adderall, Dexedrine, Ritalin, Concerta

Sedatives or tranquilizers

Used to slow down or “depress” the functions of the brain and central nervous system pressure, increased heart rate and breathing

Feel calm, reduce stress, sleep

Valium, Xanax, Ativan, Klonopin, Restoril, Ambien, Lunesta, Mebaral, Nembutal, Soma



Rx Access Points— Friends & Family Source of

Concern

attitudes about Rx abuseTeens & Adult

MIXING OVER-THE-COUNTER COLD MEDICATION

and someone else's prescription painkillers CAUSED

THE DEATH OF MY SON…I could get my hands on

prescription medicines AS FAST AS I COULD BUY A

PIZZA…the problem IS AS CLOSE AS YOUR

MEDICINE CABINET…PART OF ME DIED THAT DAY

when my daughter was taken away on a gurney…

TEEN RX ABUSE is more than an emerging problem.


Teens say that…


They abuse these medicines for a variety of reasons: Get high Treat pain They think it will help them with their school work

Interestingly, boys and girls tend to abuse some types of prescription drugs for different reasons. Boys are more likely to abuse prescription stimulants to get high, while girls tend to abuse them to stay alert or to lose weight.

beliefs & attitudesParental / Guardian

Many parents aren’t aware of the dangers of Rx

abuse—it’s just not on their radar screen.

Prescription medicines can be found in homes of

family or friends, and parents don’t realize the

connection between teen Rx abuse and easy

availability.

Many parents do not know how to effectively talk

with their teens about Rx drug abuse.

They often find out about an Rx problem when it is

too late.


Watch for Physical Warning Signs Excessive sweating, urination or thirst

Nausea and vomiting

Uncontrollable diarrhea

Spastic shaking

Drowsiness, dizziness and insomnia

Loss of consciousness

Physical dependence

Addiction

EDUCATE


Watch for Other Warning Signs Sudden mood changes, including irritability,

negative attitude, personality change.

Extreme changes in groups of friends or hangout

locations.

Lying or being deceitful, unaccounted time away

from home/missed school days, avoiding eye

contact.

Losing interest in personal appearance,

extracurricular activities or sports.

Poor performance at school.

Borrowing money or having extra cash.

Visiting and even purchasing from pro-drug abuse

(illegal) web sites.

EDUCATE


COMMUNICATE

Talk to teens about Rx abuse Teens learn by example. When they see mom, dad,

a sibling or grandparent taking a pill – even

responsibly – it doesn’t seem so bad.

Many teens report that their parents have the

greatest influence on their drug use attitudes and

decisions.

Kids who continue to learn about the risks of drugs

at home are up to 50% less likely to use drugs

than those who are not taught about these

dangers.


COMMUNICATE

Talking to teens“DENORMALIZE” THE BEHAVIOR While on-average, 2000 teens use

prescription drugs without a doctor’s guidance for the first time, many

more DO NOT!

DEBUNK COMMON MYTHS: Rx abuse is just as dangerous as abusing other

substances; it can be addictive; and it’s not OK to misuse these drugs

even “once in a while.”

PROVIDE CLEAR GUIDELINES If you’re a parent, let teens know you will be

disappointed if they abuse Rx medications and watch how you use

medicines in front of teens.

GIVE TEENS ESCAPE ROUTES Teach them how to get out of bad situations;

and suggest responses they can use when confronted with potential

prescription medicine abuse or misuse:

“No, thanks – not into it.”

“Not today.”

“I’m not interested.”


SAFEGUARD

Keep track of your medsParents (and other family members) are in the best position to reduce

access

to prescription drugs by locking up medicines and properly disposing of

expired

or unused medicines.

Monitor all medications in the home—prescription and OTC

medicines.

Safely store medicines out of children’s reach and sight.

Consider locking them up.

Get rid of old or unused medicines.


Guidelines for Rx drug disposal Follow instructions on the Rx drug label or patient information that comes

with the medicine. Never flush medicines down the sink or toilet unless

you are instructed to do so.

Take advantage of community drug take-back programs, including

National Drug Take-Back Days. Call your city or county government's

household trash and recycling service to see if a take-back program is

available in your community.

If neither instructions nor take-back events are accessible, throw the

drugs away in the household trash, following these steps: 1. Remove the medicine from its original container and mix it with an undesirable

substance (cat litter or used coffee grinds).2. Place the mixture in a sealed bag, empty can or other container. 3. Before disposing of a medicine container, scratch out all identifying information

on the prescription label so it can’t be read.4. Never give these medicines to others.5. When in doubt about proper disposal, talk with your pharmacist.

SAFEGUARD


Want to learn more?COMMUNITY ANTI-DRUG COALITIONS OF AMERICA www.cadca.org

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF DRUG DIVERSION INVESTIGATORS www.naddi.org

NATIONAL COUNCIL ON PATIENT INFORMATION AND EDUCATION’S RECOVERY OPENS DOORS www.recoveryopensdoors.org

NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DRUG ABUSE, PRESCRIPTION DRUGS http://www.nida.nih.gov/drugpages/prescription.html

NATIONAL SAFETY COUNCIL PREVENTING Rx DRUG OVERDOSES http://www.nsc.org/safety_home/PrescriptionDrugOverdoses/Pages/Prescription-Drug-Overdoses.aspx

PARTNERSHIP FOR A DRUG-FREE AMERICA www.drugfree.org

PEERx (NIDA for Teens) http://teens.drugabuse.gov/peerx

WHITE HOUSE OFFICE OF NATIONAL DRUG CONTROL POLICY, PRESCRIPTION DRUG ABUSEwww.whitehouse.gov/ondcp/prescription-drug-abuse


Preventing Rx Abuse in Your Community. Coalitions should feel free to adapt the following slides into their education and outreach activities. Here’s.

Documents

rx drug abuse

action slide

gurneyteen rx abuse

rx problem

buse p revention t oolkit

rx medications

teens rx drugs of choice

community slide