ABUSE Magazine
Why are teens abusing medicines?
The four “A’s”
Many parents and other adults don’t
understand the behavior of intentionally
abusing medicine to get high.
Photo source: oxywatchdog.com
From friends: Young people steal
medications from their families and share
or sell them to others. In a phenomenon
known as Pharm Parties, kids bring
whatever medications they can find
and mix them together in a type of pill
“trail mix” and take them, often without
knowing what they are using.
Availability The sheer
number of prescription and OTC
medications that have potential
for abuse is staggering, and they
are being used more frequently
which increases availability.
Awareness Teens know more about
prescription drugs than ever before
because advertising and the Internet have
made them more visible.
From the family medicine cabinet:
Medicines that are legitimately prescribed
for a family member — mom, dad,
grandparent, sibling — can be stolen a few
at a time, usually without notice.
Doing the job right, since 1970
812 W. Longstreet Road • Marion, IL
618-997-4414
We are proud to help keep our youth
abuse free, so they can be all they
wanna be. We care & we get involved.
Rogers Automotive
11080 Route 37 • Marion, IL
Photo source: www.abusedrugaddiction.com
618-993-3117
We will help keep our
kids on the right road to
remain ABUSE FREE!
Access They are easy to get.
Off the Internet: The Internet
has become a widely used tool for
gathering information, shopping
and recreation. It also is the host
to many Internet pharmacies,
some of which do not require a
prescription and have no way to
block young people from using the site.
With a credit card, kids can purchase just
about any prescription drug they want.
Shew Brothers Inc.
Attitude There is the belief that less
risk is associated with using prescription
and OTC medicines even though they can
be just as dangerous as any illegal drug if
used inappropriately.
“All students who
participate in the ABUSE
Magazine Essay contest
can bring your school ID in for
free admission to our pool!”
www.marionparks.com
Photo source: www.mctft.com
“Kids, never text & drive.
We can wait for your
business.”
Source: NIDA For Teens
1110 W. Bloomington Rd. • Champaign, IL
217-359-5898
abusemagazine.org | Illinois Spring/Summer 2013 |
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