Prescription Drug use in amarillo
In Amarillo, 20% of 12th grade students report using prescription drugs to get high in the past 30 days.
The most commonly abused prescription by teens are hydrocodone, Vicodin, Oxycontin, Ritalin and Xanax.
Nationwide, when underage drinking use drops, prescription drug use increases.
Most prescription drugs used by teens are obtained from their parents, family, and friends’ houses. There is a growing trend in purchasing these drugs on the internet.
Teens often believe prescription drugs are safe, which is untrue.
“Pharming” is a new slang term for grabbing a handful of prescription drugs and swallowing some or all of them. Some of these young people are taking pills from the family medicine cabinet and distributing them at school.
Oxycontin, Lortab, Lorcet, Morphine, Dilaudid, Percocet, Percodan, Methadone, Vicodin, Demerol, Fentanyl, etc. are all members of the opiate family of drugs. These narcotic analgesics are central nervous system depressants, which are most effectively used as pain relievers. When taken on a regular basis, they can produce physical dependence, tolerance, and in some cases result in addiction. Withdrawal from these drugs is painful and usually requires a medical detox to be successful.
Methylphenidate (MHP) is manufactured under the trade name of Ritalin and is normally prescribed for the treatment of ADD/ADHD. The name of the active ingredient is methylphenidate (MHP). A growing number of incidents of abuse have been associated with teens and young adults using MPH for its stimulant effects: appetite suppression, wakefulness, increased attentiveness, increased focus, and euphoria. Many teens are using it for weight reduction since it is a powerful appetite suppressant. The drug has been named with the street name of: "Vitamin R", "R-Ball" and the "Smart Drug".
It is unsafe and illegal to take prescription medications without a doctor’s approval. It is also illegal to share your prescriptions with others or take in quantities that exceed doctor’s orders.
Prescription Abuse Risks & Symptoms
The symptoms can be obvious: slurred speech, staggering walk, sweating, nausea, vomiting, numbness of extremities, dilated pupils, drowsiness, dizziness. If your teen shows these signs of drug abuse, ask questions immediately -- then talk calmly with them about the risks of abuse.
Slang names include: blues, reds, hits, gorilla biscuits, 'one-on-one's, k-4's, ludes, d's, oc's, holes, v's, vic's, perc's, oxy's, bars, xanie bars, z's, biscuits and more.
What Parents Can Do
• Talk to your kids early and often.Let them know that you oppose all illicit drug use – including prescription and OTC drug use.
• Randomly check up on your teens to make sure they are where they say they are. Know their friends and their friends’ families.
• Take inventory in your own home. Keep your prescription medications out of reach. They should not be in a place where your kids or their friends can find them. Move your OTC medications to a safe place as well. Make a note of the levels in each bottle.
• Monitor the Web sites that your child visits on the Internet. Teens can easily order medications via Web sites (or “pill mills”). Be sure to review the history trail on your computer and carefully track where your teen is making purchases on the Web especially if you allow them access to your credit card, or if they have their own card.
• For more tips, go to “Help for Parents.”
Help Identifying Pills
If you should find an unknown pill, there are easy ways to get them identified. Often your neighborhood pharmacy will be able to tell you what pill you have found. In addition, there are several websites dedicated to identifying pills. Some of these sites are free and some charge. You will be asked the size, shape, color and if these are any letters or numbers on the pill. One such site is www.drugid.info. You can search under “Pill Identification” for other websites.
Click here to see some of the basic forms of commonly abused prescriptions. While these do not include every pill possible (new ones are constantly cropping up), they do include the most widely distributed presscriptions.
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