Deliver the message, not prescription drugs

Most parents would be shocked and angry to be accused of dealing drugs to their own children.

Yet about half of U.S. teenagers who say they have abused prescription stimulants, tranquilizers or sedatives say they got the drugs for free from friends or family.

That's more than any other method of procuring prescription drugs for recreational use, says the National Survey on Drug Use and Health.

It's time to take seriously the rising tide of prescription drug abuse among young people.

Parents and educators can help by talking to teens and familiarizing themselves with the signs of medication abuse.

Experts aren't exactly sure why prescription drug abuse is becoming widespread. But they estimate one U.S. teen in five has abused prescription painkillers to get high - more than illegal drugs like Ecstasy, cocaine, crack, meth and heroin.

Maybe it's because prescription drugs can be easier to get - through online pharmacies or from medicine cabinets at home. Maybe it's because they seem safer than illegal drugs.

But the fact is that prescription drug abuse can be every bit as dangerous as using street drugs.

State public health officials have said there has been an alarming increase in the number of hospitalizations due to overdosing on prescription stimulants like Adderall and Ritalin.

Some commonly abused prescription drugs - including narcotic painkillers like OxyContin, Vicodin, Dilaudid, Demerol or Codeine - can also be addictive.

Also abused are stimulants intended to treat ADHD - like Dexedrine, Ritalin or Adderall - and central nervous system depressants like Valium, Xanax and Nembutal. Over-the-counter medicines also can be abused.

Users consume large quantities of over-the-counter cough and cold medicines containing Dextromethorphan to get high. But they are also flirting with dangerous side effects including increased heart rate and blood pressure, coma and death. Chronic use can lead to mental impairment, loss of motor and language skills, muscle degeneration and anti-social behavior.

To fight this growing problem, schools should make information about prescription drug abuse a regular part of their health curriculum, as well as be on the look out for suspected abuse.

Parents should educate themselves and talk to kids. They can avoid unwittingly becoming a drug dealer by limiting access to drugs, keeping track of quantities and safely disposing of old medications.

Young people must get the message: Just because a drug is legal, with or without a prescription, doesn't mean it's safe or for recreational use.