What is the Big Deal About RX Drug misuse?
One of our areas of focus is to prevent and reduce youth misuse of prescription drugs - including opiates.
-------What Every Parent Needs to Know about Fake Pills from the DEA
-------What Every Parent Needs to Know about Fake Pills from the DEA
MOST SHS students have NEVER used alcohol or other drugs.
RX Drugs Should only be used as prescribed
There is a misperception is that prescription drugs are safer than other kinds of drugs, because they were initially prescribed by a doctor. However, there can be many health consequences when prescription drugs are used inappropriately:
Stimulants have side effects in common with cocaine, and may include paranoia, dangerously high body temperatures, and make your heart beat too fast, especially in large doses. Stimulants include Rittalin and Adderall.
Opioids, which act on the same parts of the brain as heroin, can cause drowsiness, nausea, constipation, and slowed breathing. At high doses opioids can lead to overdose and death. Opioids include Oxycodone, Codeine, Percoset and other pain killer type drugs.
Depressants can cause slurred speech, shallow breathing, fatigue, disorientation, lack of coordination, and seizures upon withdrawal from chronic use. At higher doses, depressants can lead to overdose and death, especially when mixed with alcohol. Depressants include Benzodiazepines and tranquilizers.
(www.samhsa.gov; www.teens.drugabuse.gov)
Prescription Drug Misuse
Compared to alcohol and marijuana, far fewer Stoughton youth misuse prescription medication. However, OASIS continues to address this issue specifically because of its direct links to the opiate epidemic.
Early prevention on safe use of all medications can be a great way to set good habits early. It can also be an age appropriate way to talk to younger children about drugs. Check out our VIRTUAL medication safety game - Good Choice, Bad Choice, you can watch and play along at home. Suitable for K-3rd graders.
Safe disposal of Prescription medications
One of the easiest ways to keep unnecessary medications out of the hands of teens, is to safely dispose any excess or unwanted medication. Here is a handy fact sheet on the ways that you can safely dispose of medication in Stoughton.