Kids dabbling in drugs for the first time are more likely to abuse prescription medication than any other substance.
That’s the message from Mark Menestrina, M.D., who will present ‘Prescription Abuse by Teens? at Clarkston Junior High on Wednesday, Oct. 29.
‘Prescription medications have now surpassed marijuana as the number one gateway drug for youth,? said Menestrina, medical director of detoxification at Brighton Hospital. ‘We’re seeing kids say ‘this is a prescription it can’t be as bad for me as (illegal drugs),? when in fact it can. Depending on the preparation, prescription medications can be highly addictive.?
In fact, he pointed out, while some one million heroin addicts live in the U.S. today, about six times as many are addicted to prescription pain medicine.
And, he said, more than 50 percent of youth who abuse prescription drugs get the medications from family or friends’for free.
Pain pills’like Vicoden, Oxycontin, and codeine preparations’are the number one abused medication,? Menestrina said. ‘The interesting thing is, studies clearly show the younger a child is when they first use a substance the more likely they are to develop an abuse or addiction disorder.?
According to data collected by the National Institute on Drug Abuse in 2007, 19 percent of eighth graders’nearly one in five’said they had improperly used prescription medication at some point.
Menestrina said he plans to show specifics at next week’s presentation on the increased likelihood of accidents, suicide attempts, physical fights and other dangerous activity incurred by those who misuse medication.
The event is sponsored by Reckitt Benckiser Healthcare in collaboration with
Clarkston Area Youth Assistance.
CAYA works to offer the community several timely, relevant presentations each year, said Merelyn Mallett, chair of CAYA’s Family Education Committee.
‘Prescription drug use is apparently a new phenomenon with young teens,? Mallett said. ‘They’re finding it very easy to raid mom and dad’s medicine chest, or grandma and grandpa’s medicine chest. Some are even ordering them off the Internet.?
Parents, she said, can attend alone or bring teens along. Likewise, teens are welcome with or without parents. Time will be allotted for audience questions after the presentation.
The event takes place 7-8:30 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 29 in Clarkston Junior High School’s LGI Room.
This event is free, but space is limited. Please call CAYA at 248-623-4313 to reserve seats.