Back
in November of last year, I wrote an article in this space on
the results of the 2008 Maine Youth Drug and Alcohol Use Survey
(MYDAUS) at Deer Isle-Stonington High School. I pointed out several
positive trends in the drug and alcohol use of the adolescents
in our community, including significantly lower rates of using
alcohol over the last 30 days (26% to 35%), binge drinking in
the last two weeks (12% to 18%), inhalant use (8% to 11%), and
stimulant use (2.2% to 3.5%) when compared with the rest of the
state. There were also several negative trends, such as the use
of marijuana in the past 30 days by DISHS students is significantly
higher than that reported by other students in the state, (30%
to 19%), and the use of prescription drugs by DISHS is increasing
at a rate much faster than that of other students across the state.
It is that last statistic that I would like to focus on in this
article.
Based
on the 2008 MYDAUS survey, 15.6% of DISHS students have misused
prescription drugs at least once, compared to 14.7% of students
state-wide (this difference is not considered statistically significant).
Broken down by 2007-08 grade levels, 9.3% of 9th graders, 20.6%
of 10th graders, 29% of 11th graders, and 15.6% of 12th graders
reported ever having misused prescription drugs. The percentages
for 9th and 10th grade are similar to state averages, while the
percentage for 11th grade is above the state average and the percentage
for 12th grade is below the state average. Of greatest concern
is that the state-wide average for all students decreased from
16.5% in 2006 to 14.7% in 2008, while for DISHS students the percentage
increased from 12.7% to 15.6%.
The
misuse of prescription medications is increasing because the drugs
are so readily available and because many teens (and adults) mistakenly
believe that prescription medications can't be “that bad
for me” because the drugs have been legally prescribed by
a doctor. What teens often fail to realize is that most prescription
drugs are powerful narcotics that if taken without a prescription,
at the wrong dosage, or with the wrong combination of other substances
can be incredibly harmful and can even be lethal. While many parents
have talked with their children about the dangers of using substances
such as alcohol, marijuana, and “hard drugs,” many
parents have not educated their children about the dangers of
prescription medication. Some good first steps for parents include:
- Talking
with your children about the dangers of misusing prescription
medications. Children need to know that prescription medications
are legal and safe only when used by the person to whom they
have been prescribed and by carefully following all of the doctor's
instructions.
- Inventorying
your medicine cabinet. Know what types of medications are in
your house, and properly dispose of any expired medications
or prescriptions that are no longer needed.
- Talking
with your children regularly about all types of substance abuse.
Let your children know your expectations and what behaviors
are unacceptable to you as a parent. Most importantly, help
your child develop strategies to “say no” when offered
illegal substances, especially by their peers. It can be difficult
for teen to say no to their peers, but if they have practiced
strategies in advance it will be easier.
If
parents would like more information about the dangers of misusing
prescription medication or how to talk to their children about
it, please call the Student Services Office at the High School
(348-2288) or call the Open Door Recovery Center in Ellsworth
(667-3210). On-line, the Maine Office of Substance Abuse has an
Action Guide for Maine Parents (www.maine.gov/dhhs/osa/).
