Parents, Kids and Drugs: The Changing Landscape in Substance Abuse: Adolescent Abuse of Rx

1
Parents, Kids and Drugs The Changing Landscape
in Substance Abuse Adolescent Abuse of Rx OTC
Medicines National ConferenceState Prescription
Monitoring Programs December 6, 2007
2
Trends in Substance Abuse Among 8th Graders

26
vs. 96
Alcohol
21
17 -35
Cigarettes
15
9 -57
Illicit Drugs
8 -47
Source Monitoring the Future Study Past Month
Use Institute of Social Research,
University of Michigan
3
Trends in Risk and Use of Marijuana

40
Risk
32
25
18
Use
12
6
Source Monitoring the Future Study
8th Graders Use in Past Year
4
Trends in Risk and Use of Ecstasy
PerceivedRisk
Use
PartnershipAnti-Ecstasy Campaign
Source Monitoring the Future Study
12th Graders ever tried
5
Teens Lifetime Trial Among Teens
Marijuana
RX Medicines
Ketamine
RX stimulants
Crack/ Cocaine
Meth
GHB
Inhalants
RX pain relievers
Cough Medicine
Ecstasy
LSD
Heroin
Source Partnership Attitude Tracking Study
(PATS) Teens
6
First Time Users of Pain Relievers Continue to
Surpass All Other Drugs
Estimated Number (in thousands) of New Users of
Pain Relievers, Marijuana, Ecstasy, and
Stimulants per Year, 1997-2006 (U.S. Residents
Ages 12 and older)
Source NSDUH, 2006
7
Medicine Abuse Normalized in Teen Culture

• 1 in 3 teens report having a close friend
  whoabuses Rx pain relievers to get high

Source Partnership Attitude Tracking Study
8
Medicine Abuse Normalized in Teen Culture

• 1 in 4 teens report having a close friend who
  abuses cough medicine to get high

Source Partnership Attitude Tracking Study
9
Medicine Abuse Normalized in Teen Culture

• 1 in 5 teens report being offered Rx
  medicinefrom a friend or peer to get high

Sources Partnership Attitude Tracking Study
Partnership Mapping Study
10
The New Yorker August 14, 2006
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Attitudes Affecting Teen Medicine Abuse

• Misperception that abusing medicine is not
  dangerous
• Misperception that abusing medicine is safer than
  street drugs

Sources Partnership Attitude Tracking Study
Partnership Mapping Study
12
Teens Perceived Ease of Access

• Medicine cabinet, at home or friends house
• Another persons prescription, familyor friend
• From many sources on the Internet

Sources Partnership Attitude Tracking Survey
Partnership Mapping Study
13
Rx/OTC Medicine Abuseand the Internet

• Normalization and social acceptance
• How to and benefits (Erowid)
• Access/sale

14
Multiple Perceived Benefits of Medicine Abuse
Among Teens

• Helps me deal with my problems
• Helps me manage my life
• Enhances my performance
• To get high

Sources Partnership Attitude Tracking Study
Partnership Mapping Study
15
Linda Surks
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Our collective role inthis emerging problem
Reach out to and empower parents, and provide
the information and resources they need.
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Parental Involvement is Key to Drug Prevention
Kids who learn a lot aboutthe risk of drugs from
their parentsare up to 50 likely to use.
Source Partnership Attitude Tracking Study
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Need to IncreaseParental Involvement
Only 31 of teens learn a lot about the risk of
drugs from their parents.
Source Partnership Attitude Tracking Study
19
Too Few Parent-Teen Rx/OTC Abuse Discussions
36
Rx Medicine Abuse
Cough/Cold Medicine Abuse
33
Drugs Like Heroin,Cocaine, Crack
54
Report thoroughly talking about Source
Partnership Attitude Tracking Study
20
Parents Do Not Understand Rx/OTC Medicine Abuse
Parents do not think their teen is vulnerableto
Rx/OTC abuse Parents do not understand the
behavior ofintentionally abusing medicine to get
high Parents think that if their teen did abuse
medicinesit would not be as dangerous as street
drugs
Source Partnership Focus Group Studies and
Mapping Study
21
Rx and OTC Medicine AbuseEducation Campaign

• Multi-media public service advertising
• National consumer public relations (parents)
• Web-based parent resources
• Interactive teen web-site
• Parent brochure, hard copy and online
• Research tracking and evaluation

www.drugfree.org
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Campaign Objective Motivate and Equip Parents

• Educate parents about medications kidsare
  abusing
• Encourage communication with kids aboutthe risks
• Safeguard medications at home
• (and ask your friends to do the same)

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Preventing Rx OTC Medicine Abuse

• Reinforce attitudes toward medically appropriate
  use
• Strengthen risk attitudes toward intentional
  abuse to get high

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Medicine Abuse Challenges

• Use seen as safer than street drugs by both
  teens and parents
• Ease of access through parents medicine cabinet,
  friends and the Internet
• Attitudes among vulnerable teens indicate the
  potential for abuse rates to double

An entrenched behavior