News / Education
Survey Says: Teens Have Easy Access to Prescription Drugs, Marijuana
CNN Interview Shows How Easy It Is to Get Illegal Drugs
The results were startling.
“In the past,” comments Mary Rieser, Executive Director for Narconon Drug Rehab Georgia, “the quick way to get high was to have a friend or older sibling buy alcohol. These days the way is much easier: marijuana is very obtainable, and prescription drugs are easier to obtain than beer.”
According to the findings, a majority of teens can find marijuana in a day, and most can get it within the hour. Prescription drugs, on the other hand, are easier to obtain than beer, evidenced by the fact that most prescription drugs obtained by teens is easily accessible in the medicine cabinet, either in their own house, or a friend or relative’s house.
“Studies have shown that the majority of teens, over 60% of them, said that drugs are used, sold, or kept at their school,” comments Ms. Rieser. “With prescription drugs being prescribed at a skyrocketing rate, it is little wonder that there are so many left-over prescriptions in the family medicine cabinet.”
Coupled to the fact that most drug education is geared towards ‘street drugs’, such as heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine, many children and adults don’t realize that prescription drugs can be as addictive and harmful as the street drugs sold by dope dealers.
Ms. Rieser concludes: “People, adults and teens alike, also have the false idea that since it was prescribed by a doctor, prescription drugs are considered ‘safe’ to use. However, many of these drugs, such as Ritalin, Oxycontin, Adderal, and Percoset, have the same DEA schedule as the illegal street drugs: high possibility of drug abuse and drug addiction.
“Dispose of un-used prescription medications properly. Teach your children about the dangers of prescription drug abuse. Keep them and your family safe.”
