Prescription Drugs and Drug Abuse

MYTH: Prescription drugs are safe to use whether they are prescribed directly for you or not, you cannot become addicted to them or die from using them, and selling or giving prescription drugs to a friend is no big deal. FACT: Prescription drugs are to be used only as directed and by the person for whom they are prescribed. If they are not prescribed for you, there's no telling how they may affect you. When prescription drugs are abused, they can be as addictive and dangerous as "illegal" drugs. If you are not a doctor or pharmacist, distributing prescription drugs is illegal. You can be arrested and jailed for drug trafficking or, in the worst case, accessory to murder.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), some of the most dramatic increases in first-time prescription drug abuse are among 12- to 17-year-olds. Teens find prescription drugs easily accessible, often getting them at home in their parents’ medicine cabinet. Many times teens subscribe to the myth that prescription drugs are “OK” or “legal”, since a doctor prescribed them, and prescription drugs are perceived as being “safe” for the same reason. There is an increasing problem with teens sharing or selling these prescription drugs with their associates. The truth is, abusing prescription medications even once can be just as dangerous or deadly as abusing any other drug. Abusing prescription drugs is still drug abuse, and adults as well as children need to know and accept this fact.

Many motorists feel that they can still safely operate a vehicle when taking medication prescribed by their physicians. In most cases this is true. However, there are many medications that can impair someone’s ability to safely drive. In Moapa Valley, the Metropolitan Police Department estimates that as many as 20% of the tickets they write for DUI is because of driving while taking prescription medication.

According to Purdue Pharma. L.P., of Stamford, Ct., some commonly abused prescription drugs include:

*anti-anxiety medications (like Xanax or Valium)

*pain medications such as hydrocodone (Vicodin, Lorcet, Lortab), oxycodone (Tylox, Percocet, Percodan, OxyContin), codeine (Tylenol with codeine, many cough syrups), fentanyl or Demerol

*stimulants (such as Ritalin, Dexedrine or Adderall)

All of these medications are invaluable to manage medical conditions and have improved the quality of life for those individuals they have been prescribed to. Problems arise when they are used by people who do not have a prescription for them or are abused and overused by those whose doctors have prescribed them.

These medications can be abused in various ways. They can be swallowed, crushed and then snorted or the powder smoked, melted or dissolved and injected, mixed with alcohol or mixed with other drugs into “cocktails”. Mixing the substances can compound the risk of overdose or reactions making them dangerous or deadly.

There are things that we can do to prevent or solve the problem of prescription drug abuse. Know what medications are in your home and be knowledgeable about which ones have a potential for abuse (ask your doctor or pharmacist). Talk openly and honestly with each other in the home about the problems of abuse. Listen to each other. If you have medications in the home that can be abused, keep track of them. Perhaps they should be in a locked cabinet where they are not readily accessible. Most of us don’t leave dangerous weapons loaded and unlocked in our homes—perhaps we should consider what other dangerous items are left open. Pay attention to the amount of each medication (how many pills, level of liquid). Be clear with members of your family that possessing prescription drugs not prescribed to them is illegal and distributing prescription drugs (even if they are prescribed to you) is illegal. Be clear with family members what the rules are concerning drugs in your home and the consequences of breaking those rules. If you feel you or a loved one has a problem, seek help.

CSAW (Community for Substance Abuse Wellness, Moapa Valley) has sponsored the information in this article. The committee is working to bring substance abuse awareness, education and recovery programs to Moapa Valley. If you would like to contribute time to CSAW or would like information about substance abuse and/or recovery programs and support groups available in Moapa Valley we would encourage you to contact us at 398-3444. We welcome your ideas, concerns and questions. The information for the article was compiled from Purdue Pharma, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), and the Metropolitan Police Department.

 Submitted by Sherrie Whitney, CSAW secretary