Have you become your teen's drug dealer? What's in your medicine cabinet?

Have you become yourteen’s drug dealer?
What’s in yourmedicine cabinet?
PANEL MEMBERS
Kevin Cashman, Maine Drug Enforcement Agency
Karen Simone, Northern New England Poison Center
Ronni Katz, City of Portland’s Overdose Prevention Project

This town hall is part of a prescription drug abuse prevention project sponsored by Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) and King Pharmaceuticals along with the City of Portland Public Health Division (HHSD) & Portland Public Schools.
We thank the Northern New England Poison Control and the
Maine Drug Enforcement Agency for participating in this town hall.

Abuse of Rx and OTC Medicines
Recent studies indicate that the abuse of prescription (Rx) and over-the-counter cough medicines (OTCs) to get high is a concern—particularly among teens.

Did You Know?
Every day, almost 2,500 teens abuse an Rx medication for the first time.
Next to marijuana, the most common illegal drugs teens are abusing are prescription medications.
Twenty percent of U.S. high school students say they have taken Rx drugs without consulting a doctor.
1 in 5 teens has abused Rx drugs.
1 in 3 teens say there is “nothing wrong” with abusing Rx medications “every once in a while.”
Rx Abuse Prevention Toolkit - from awareness to action

Maine Data: Teen Use
According to the Maine Integrated Youth Health Survey (MIYHS), in 2009 11.3% of Maine high school students and 6.6% of 7th and 8th graders reported using an Rx drug without a doctor’s prescription one or more times during the past 30 days.

Maine Data: # of Prescriptions

Local Data: Teen Use
In 2009 in the Cumberland Public Health District, 10.9% of high school students and 6.9% of 7th and 8th graders reported using an Rx drug without a doctor’s prescription one or more times during the past 30 days.

Local Data: # of Prescriptions
Portland had the 2nd highest State increase overall in STIMULANT prescriptions (25.8)
Portland has the 2nd highest rate of TRANQUILIZER prescriptions in Cumberland County (86.5)
Up 5% since 2008
30% higher than the State

Teens’ Rx Drugs of Choice For Abuse

Local Data: Medication Collection
In both 2009 and 2010, the City of Portland’s Public Health Division—in partnership with the Portland Police Department/Maine DEA—held medication collection events in Portland. Here are some data from the 2010 event:

Where do most teens get Prescription Drugs?
According to the Monitoring the Future study, a survey of almost 50,000 teens throughout the United States, these are the ways that teens get their hands on prescription drugs, from the most popular method to the least:
From home, by stealing from the medicine cabinet.
From friends, by buying them or just asking for them.
From strangers, by buying them.
From illegal Internet pharmacies.

Where do most teens get Prescription Drugs?
Friends and the family medicine cabinet are the major sources of these drugs. More than seventy percent of people who abuse prescription painkillers say they get them from family or friends.

Rx Access Points— Friends & Family Source of Concern
SAMHSA. (2008). Results from the 2007 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National Findings (Office of Applied Studies, NSDUH Series: H-34, DHHS Publication No. SMA 08-4343). Rockville, MD.
Available at: www.oas.samhsa.gov/nsduh/2k7nsduh/2k7Results.pdf

Teens say that…

Parental/Guardian Beliefs & Attitudes
Many parents aren’t aware of the dangers of Rx abuse – it’s just not on their radar screen.
Rx medicines can be found in homes of family or friends, and parents don’t realize the connection between teen Rx abuse and easy availability.
Many parents do not know how to effectively talk with their teens about Rx drug abuse. They often find out about an Rx problem when it is too late.

What ‘s being done to address this epidemic in Maine?
Prescription Monitoring Program (OSA)
Goals: Help stop prescription drug overdoses, Educate the public on the dangers of prescription drug misuse, Ensure that those who do need prescription medications still receive them
Who has access to the PMP? Prescribers, Dispensers, Licensing Boards, Patients, OSA Staff, Law Enforcement (Attorney General’s office)
Overdose Prevention Project (Portland, Waterville, Bangor)
Prevent drug overdoses by providing support, advocacy, education and outreach to the community through positive collaborations and partnerships
Maine Drug Enforcement Agency
Investigate domestic, interstate and international drug offenses
Northern New England Poison Center
Provides immediate treatment advice for poison emergencies, as well as information about poisons and poison prevention, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

What can YOU do to address this epidemic in Maine? Educate. Communicate. Safeguard.
* Rx Abuse Warning Signs *
* Talking to Teens *
* Keep Track of Your Meds *

EDUCATE
Watch for Physical Warning Signs
Excessive sweating, urination or thirst
Nausea and vomiting
Uncontrollable diarrhea
Spastic shaking
Drowsiness, dizziness and insomnia
Loss of consciousness
Physical dependence
Addiction

EDUCATE
Watch for Physical Warning Signs
Sudden mood changes, including irritability, negative attitude, personality change.
Extreme changes in groups of friends or hangout locations.
Lying or being deceitful, unaccounted time away from home/missed school days, avoiding eye contact.
Losing interest in personal appearance, extracurricular activities or sports.
Poor performance at school.
Borrowing money or having extra cash.
Visiting and even purchasing from pro-drug abuse (illegal) web sites.

COMMUNICATE
Talk to Teens about Rx Abuse
Teens learn by example. When they see mom, dad, a sibling or grandparent taking a pill – even responsibly – it doesn’t seem so bad.
Many teens report that their parents have the greatest influence on their drug use attitudes and decisions.
Kids who continue to learn about the risks of drugs at home are up to 50% less likely to use drugs than those who are not taught about these dangers.

COMMUNICATE
Talk to Teens about Rx Abuse
“Denormalize” the Behavior: While 1 in 5 teens are abusing Rx drugs, 4 in 5 are not
Debunk Common Myths: Rx abuse is just as dangerous as abusing other substances; it can be addictive; and it’s not OK to misuse these drugs even “once in a while.”
Provide Clear Guidelines: If you’re a parent, let teens know you will be disappointed if they abuse Rx medications and watch how you use medicines in front of teens.
Give Teens Escape Routes: Teach them how to get out of bad situations; and suggest responses they can use so they don’t feel “uncool.”

SAFEGUARD
Keep Track of Your Meds
Parents (and other family members) are in the best position to reduce access to Rx drugs by locking up medicines and properly disposing of expired or unused medicines.
Monitor all medications in the home – Rx and OTC medicines
Safely store medicines out of children’s reach and sight – consider locking them up
Get rid of old or unused medicines

SAFEGUARD
Guidelines for Proper Disposal
Federal Guidelines: Refer to October 15, 2009 FDA Guidelines for Disposal by Flushing
Do not flush down toilet or drain unless accompanying patient information specifically instructs you to do so
Dispose of Rx drugs (not labeled to be flushed) through a community drug take-back. If a program is not available, dispose of medications appropriately:
Take medication out of its original packaging and place it into a disposable container with a lid or into a sealable bag.
Mix drugs with an undesirable substance (e.g., cat litter or used coffeegrounds).
Place sealed container with the mixture and original packaging (be sure toremove all personal information from the packaging) in the trash.
Office of National Drug Control Policy. Proper Disposal of Prescription Drugs. 2009. Available at: www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/publications/pdf/prescrip_disposal.pdf

Local Treatment Resources
Day One: Maine’s leading agency dealing with teen drug and alcohol abusewww.day-one.org
Maine Office of Substance Abuse: Providing leadership in substance abuse prevention, intervention and treatment. www.maineosa.org
Mercy Recovery Center: The largest substance abuse treatment center in Maine, offering inpatient and outpatient programs for adults. www.mercyrecovery.org
SAMHSA’s Treatment Locator: This searchable directory of drug and alcohol treatment programs shows the location of facilities around the country that treat alcoholism, alcohol abuse and drug abuse problems. www.findtreatment.samhsa.gov

National Resources
Above the Influence
www.abovetheinfluence.com
American Medicine Chest Challenge(AMCC)
www.americanmedicinechest.com
Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA)
www.cadca.org
Five Moms: Stopping Cough Medicine Abuse
www.fivemoms.com / www.stopmedicineabuse.org
National Council on Patient Information and Education (NCPIE)
www.talkaboutrx.org
National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators
www.naddi.org
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Rx Drugs
www.nida.nih.gov/drugpages/prescription.html
The Drug Take-Back Initiative
www.takebacknetwork.com
The Partnership at DrugFree.org
www.drugfree.org
White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP)
www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov

Contact Info
Northern New England Poison Center
Karen Simone, Director - 662-7221
www.nnepc.org
Maine Drug Enforcement Agency
Kevin Cashman - 822-0373
www.maine.gov/dps/mdea
City of Portland Public Health Division’s Overdose Prevention Project
Ronni Katz – 756-8116
http://substanceabuse.portlandmaine.gov
www.facebook.com/portlandprevention
www.twitter.com/portprevent

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Have you become your teen's drug dealer? What's in your medicine cabinet?

by Amanda Edgar on Dec 03, 2010

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Have you become your teen’s drug dealer? What’s in your medicine cabinet? — Presentation Transcript