Prescription Drug Use - How to Keep Your Family Safe

by Danielle Meyer, MA, CAC - Lifeways Counselor 
 
You may have talked to your child about illegal drugs and their harmful effects, but did you know that legally prescribed and over-the-counter medications can be dangerous too?   Misused medications can lead to accidental overdose or addiction. Studies have shown:

Nearly 1 in 5 teens have reported abusing prescription pain medication to get high; 
1 in 3 teens reported having a close friend who abuses prescription pain medicine; 
60% of teens who reported prescription drug abuse shared they got the medication from a friend, family member, or acquaintance;
Teen are more likely to abuse prescription and over-the-counter medication than illegal drugs such as cocaine, ecstasy, or meth. 

Parents can take the following steps to help ensure their teen's safety: 

Talk with your teens about medicine abuse. Let them know medication is to be taken only as prescribed and are not to be shared. 
Monitor and know what medications and how much you have. 
Store your medication in a secure location, such as a locked cabinet or safe. A medication lockbox can be obtained by calling SD Resource Hotline at 1-800-920-4343
Be in the know. Parents can also learn what medications are often abused and what the signs are of medication abuse. 
Properly dispose of expired or unused medications. This can be done by disposing them at a local drop off site or by using DisposeRX packets at home. Free packets can be obtained from the Lifeways counselor at your school or online at AvoidOpioidSD.


If you are worried your teen may be misusing prescription or over-the-counter medication, please don’t hesitate to call Lifeways at (605)716-6555 or contact the Lifeways Counselor at your school to schedule a free screening. 

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