AHS Views

A recent article reported that 11.4 million people in the U.S. are abusing prescription drugs. I read an article the other day that put that number at 22 million. The difference may be accounted for by the definition of ‘abuse’ – if you have a prescription, the use of the drugs is legit, no prescription is ‘abuse.’ However, prescription drugs are so dangerous that you don’t have to be ‘abusing’ them to become dependent or addicted. And that’s probably what we really should be more concerned about – a drugged society that needs addiction help – but it’s all okay because they have a prescription.
 
The article announced a prescription drug abuse forum – Generations RX: Children in the Medicine Cabinet. The focus of the forum is young adults abusing prescription drugs.

Anything that educates the public on the dangers of prescription drugs is a good thing. But we aren’t going to get very far if we focus on the kids taking drugs from medicine cabinets but don’t pay equal attention to the parents who are putting them there.

How are kids supposed to believe that drugs are not a solution to life’s problems when their parents are teaching them otherwise?

If someone you know is using prescription drugs for something other than preventing a life-threatening situation, get them the addiction help services they need. It’s the best thing you can do for them, and their children.