Lock Your Medications
Simple Steps Can Prevent Accidents and Abuse
The abuse of prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications is on the rise among children and teenagers. Every day, more than 2,500 teenagers abuse a prescription drug for the first time. And seven of the top 10 abused substances by teenagers are pharmaceutical drugs.
If you think most kids get these drugs on the street, think again. 70 percent of children 12 years of age and older who abuse pain medications get them from their friends or family. Pain relievers, such as Vicodin and Oxycotin, tranquilizers and sedatives are among the most frequently abused substances, but even a seemingly harmless over-the-counter medication such as cough medicine can be used by kids to get high.
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