Woodbury Reports, Inc
Bonners Ferry, ID

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The Prescription Drug Epidemic Among Teens

March 4, 2013

Epidemic, outbreak and 'a nationwide health problem' are all terms today's guest, Jamison Monroe, the founder of Newport Academy, used to express the prescription drug problem of today's teens on Parent Choices for Struggling Teens. Jamison went on to confirm that there is a huge increase in deaths among teens due to prescription drug overdoses, with the numbers of emergency room visits and deaths increasing up to 3 times more than 5 years ago and in some states, the numbers are even higher, reaching five times more than before.

The most common drugs that teens are using include Ritalin and Adderall, sometimes referred to as the 'study drugs', prescribed to teens with ADHD and ADD. Often these pills will be traded by or given to friends to "get a step ahead, to stay up late to study longer" and yet the most popular, because it is easily available with a written prescription from the doctor, based on the urgency of the parents to want the best for their child. Other drugs included in the epidemic include OxyContin, Opiates, Xanax and Valium, also used for pain management and anxiety issues. Most likely, these drugs are sitting in family medicine cabinets or friends of families, leftover from past surgeries or from other valid usage. Teens are also buying these drugs from the black market or on the street from drug dealers who "Doctor Shop", get the prescription and then sell the pills to their drug clients. These drugs taken with alcohol or mixed and matched with other drugs are the catalyst for drug overdoses and deaths among teens.

For parents, concerned about their child and drug abuse, Jamison firmly believes it is important to talk to your kids about drugs at an earlier age such as 11. Also emphasized was spending time with your kids, do activities as a family and in doing so, you create safety and security for your child. Teens will get involved with drugs, in order to feel like they "fit in and are cool or to be part of a certain clique." Kids need to be part of a family; otherwise they are more susceptible to falling into a group of peers that may do drugs.

Symptoms to watch for in your child include:

• School performance is declining


• Change of peer group- hanging out with different kids


• Acting sluggish, mumbling or slurring their words, always being tired or falling asleep in class or at home


• Are smoking opiates by crushing - watch for bits of tin foil and empty ball point pens (the ink cartridge removed in order to use as a straw to smoke with


• Change in extracurricular activities- for no apparent reason they quit or lose interest in activities they once enjoyed


These are indicators and should raise your antennas and may also be the time for an assessment, which needs to be done by a professional. The drug abuse is a SYMPTOM of the problem, and the need is to look at the underlying causes of the abuse, to look for the root cause. If a residential treatment center is necessary, an Educational Consultant can help with looking for an appropriate placement. "No child is an island," stated Jamison, "all of the family needs to participate in the program in order for their child to achieve success, otherwise it is only a matter of time before the child regresses."


To listen to the full interview go to Teen Prescription Drug Abuse on LATalkRadio.
Also available in Podcast

Lon Woodbury is the owner/founder of Woodbury Reports Inc. and www.strugglingteens.com. He has worked with families and struggling teens since 1984 and is the host of Parent Choices for Struggling Teens.

Jamison Monroe is the founder of Newport Academy, a residential treatment center for teens in Orange County, CA. He is also one of the Executive Directors of the documentary 'Behind the Orange Curtain', which takes an in-depth look at the prescription drug epidemic among California teens.

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