What is the Drop Them Off campaign?
The goal is to educate parents and youth about how to safely use, store and dispose of prescription medications to prevent their misuse.
This is a problem that some of us don’t even think about. My son is 12 and it scares me to think of him using any medication, alcohol etc. Please take the time to read this and keep your tweens and teens safe!
With Spring around the corner, the temptation for kids to become involved in prescription drugs escalates. 1 in 6 teens have used a prescription drug not prescribed to them in order to get high or change their mood, and with Spring break, prom and finals all approaching, the temptation escalates. ·
When you’re Spring cleaning your home, don’t forget about the medicine cabinet. 2/3 of teens who abuse pain relievers said they get them from family members and friends.
They can also take three simple steps to help reduce access to prescription drugs, too:
- Don’t share prescription medicines
- Securely store them
- Properly dispose of them in the trash or at a drug take-back center
Take away the temptation by disposing of old prescriptions properly.
Talk to your Kids: The Parent Talk Kit: Tips for Talking and What to Say to Prevent Drug and Alcohol Abuse provides guidance on starting a conversation, what to say and how to answer tough questions. Check out resources for other concerned citizens who may want to initiate a discussion, including healthcare workers, educators, communities and law enforcement.
Spread the Word: Use the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids’ teen-made documentary, “Out of Reach” along with a special accompanying toolkit designed to help you share information on teen medicine abuse with friends, schools, communities, families and more. You can also use the teen-targeted Above the Influence Toolkit with kids aged 12-17 in community settings to build their confidence and prevent risk-taking behaviors. The Toolkit includes a video titled “Not Prescribed” and accompanying discussion guide that uses real families to help people understand the risks of teen medicine abuse. A facilitator guide and activity sheets make it easy to customize the sessions.
Statistics:
- Prescription drugs are now the most commonly abused drugs among 12 to 13 year olds.
- One in six teens has used a prescription drug not prescribed to them in order to get high or change their mood.
- 90% of addictions begin during the teen years.
- Two-thirds of teens who abuse pain relievers say they get them from family members and friends.
- Between 2008 and 2012, the number increased 33% to about 5 million teens – nearly twice the population of Chicago
- Few Adults Warn Teens: ·
- Only 14% of teens indicated they had discussed with a parent the misuse or abuse of any type of prescription drug ·
- In contrast, 80% of teens have discussed the risks of alcohol and 81% have discussed the risks of marijuana with their parents
