The Executive Office of the President of the United States has declared that “Prescription drug abuse is the Nation’s fastest fastest‐growing drug problem.” Echoing similar sentiment is the 2010 National Survey on Drug Use and Health – “Prescription drugs are now the second most abused category of drugs in the United States following marijuana.”
Disturbing as these statistics might be, there is a darker side to this trend that threatens to hit the society where it’s most vulnerable. The 2011 National Survey on Drug Use and Health reported that more than 6.1 million people in the age group of 12 years and above were addicted to prescription drugs. Of this 54% claimed to obtain these drugs from their medicine cabinet at home or from relatives, usually without their knowledge. The prescription medicines most commonly abused included painkillers, depressants (like anti-anxiety drugs or sleeping pills) and stimulants.
Mindful of the consequences of this trend, the Virginia Attorney General’s Office and Law enforcement officials have launched a sate wide campaign to nip teen prescription abuse in the bud. The main aim of this campaign is to urge residents of Virginia to lock up their prescription drugs before they fall into young hands.
It is common knowledge that teenagers lack reasoning and logic, often falling prey to mindless fads under the pressure of their peer group. They are known to make irrational decisions that can jeopardise their safety. As a result, it’s extremely important for adults to take steps to keep temptation out of reach. A simple precaution such as storing medicines in a lock box and keeping them where they cannot be discovered by kids is a positive step. Alternatively, they can also opt for medicine cabinets that can be locked.
When each Virginian does his bit to make prescription drugs inaccessible to teenagers, the state won’t have to worry about homes becoming drug havens and trips to the restroom the easiest way to get a high.
