Rx Abuse In Teens

Law enforcement in Northeast Pennsylvania is seeing the misuse of prescription drugs among juveniles as a growing problem, according to a report in the Scranton Times-Tribune.

Representatives from district attorneys' offices in three neighboring counties spoke with about 100 educators at the Lackawanna County Center for Public Safety, as part of an ongoing discussion and call to action on gangs and gang-related activity. In Pennsylvania’s Lackawanna County, the district attorney's office just started tracking prescription drug offenses this year, but officials can already tell it's becoming more widespread, according to the Scranton Times-Tribune.

It’s not a problem specific to this region or to Pennsylvania, though. It’s happening across the country.

The easy access to prescription meds make it simple for kids to get a hold of painkillers like OxyContin or Vicodin, depressants from Valium to Xanax, and ADD and ADHD drugs like Ritalin and Adderall. Kids are selling their own medications or “borrowing” whatever they can find in their parents’ medicine cabinets.  

Methods of Ingesting

In addition to the dangers of youth taking drugs that aren’t prescribed for them, the method of ingestion adds new problems since they frequently crush and then snort the drugs, destroying the product’s time-release function.

Law enforcement is encouraging parents to take the seemingly-drastic step of using a lockbox to keep prescription meds safe and out of the hands of teenagers and children.

Prescription Drug Addiction

If you or someone you love is battling an addiction, call La Paloma at our toll-free number. Someone is there to take your call 24 hours a day and answer any questions you have about treatment, financing or insurance.