Rich Kids’ Drug Use On the Rise

The tiny town of Danbury, Conn. is seeing an alarming rise in prescription drug overdoses, according to a recent report in The Danbury, Conn. News-Times. A recent substance abuse therapist told the newspaper that she is shocked that no one has hit the panic button yet over the latest drug abuse trends.

Rise of Prescription Drug Abuse

Stats show that prescription drug abuse is a growing problem among kids in the upper-class families that populate the quaint town. Prescription drug use in Connecticut now kills more people under the age of 34 than car crashes, Jorgensen told the News-Times, citing figures from a 2006 national study.  

Healthy, well-off teens with promising futures are dying after experimenting with opiates, in many cases because they just don’t see the danger in these medications that can be found in many of their parents’ medicine cabinets. Once they realize how addictive these pills can be, it’s often too late.

Another trend Jorgensen sees is kids getting addicted to strong prescription painkillers and then switching to heroin as a cheaper alternative as their habit grows uncontrollable. “One OxyContin pill -- a trademark version of the narcotic painkiller oxycodone -- costs about $80; a gram of cocaine is $50, and heroin is even cheaper at about $10 a bag, area experts told the News-Times.

Kids are also mixing drugs with little thought to any complications that might occur and even hosting “pharm” parties where unknown prescription pills are offered to guests. Local substance abuse officials and police also see teens selling or bartering prescription drugs raided from family stashes, with some even stealing the drugs or altering medications they are able to buy over the counter.

Prescription Drug Rehab

If you or someone you love is in need of prescription drug rehab, call The Canyon 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.