Could you be a drug supplier to children without knowing it?

The National Family Partnership recently released an awareness campaign to bring much needed awareness to the often silent and unseen prescription drug abuse by children. The campaign is strategically timed with the end of school, as summer takes hold more children will be spending greater time at home, many of which will be unsupervised. Prescription drug abuse is on the rise, and the National Family Partnership’s Lock Your Meds campaign offers many great tips for parents to be both aware of and prevent such abuse.  The national multi-media campaign is designed to decrease prescription drug abuse by making adults aware that they are often the “unwitting suppliers” of prescription medications to their children.

According to studies more teens are beginning to use drugs and other substances during the months of their summer breaks, much of which is related to the extensive time they are spending at home alone.  According to studies unsupervised children are four times more likely to engage in substance abuse.  However it is not just the increased use of substance abuse that has parents across the country opening their eyes, but where children are getting a hold of their drugs.  Shocking to most is that 70% of teens who abuse prescription drugs get them from their family and friends.  Many are quick to ask how this number can be so high, but the reality is that in 68% of homes prescription medications are not safely secured or monitored.

As the economy continues to remain in a slump, the employment climate is leaving more and more teens without summer jobs, which leaves them at a great risk as they often find less productive ways to utilize their time.   According to a newly released study, which surveyed 2,500 high school students, one in four admitted to abusing prescription drugs.  These shocking numbers have many parents asking what they can do to prevent their child from the dangers of prescription drug abuse.

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

1. Safeguard all medicines by monitoring quantities and controlling access. Remove drugs from your medicine cabinet and lock them up.
2. Warn your youngsters that prescription drugs can be just as dangerous, addictive, and lethal as street drugs.  Studies show that teens dangerously view prescription drugs as “safer” to abuse than illicit drugs.
3. Properly dispose of old or expired medicines in the trash. Hide or mix them with cat litter or coffee grounds before throwing them away.
4. Don’t have kids at home? What about your grandchildren, nieces and nephews, and your friends’ kids that visit your house?

The following awareness video by the National Family Partnership is just one of the many campaign tools used, as the full campaign includes a wide array of advertisements, posters, educational materials, publicity opportunities, inter-active games and slide show presentations, fully integrated and comprehensive website to give parents and other visitors an opportunity to learn more and ask key questions.  You can join the campaign here.