drdĒv
02-22-2007, 06:42 AM
Siouxland Doctors Warn Parents About Teens & 'Pharm Parties'
The idea of teens using drugs is nothing new. But, the way some teens are abusing prescription drugs is new. They're called "pharm parties." Teens take prescription drugs from their home, and creating a dangerous concoction with friends.
They're colorful, small, look harmless... and since a doctor prescribed them, you'd think they were safe. But when these little pills are in the wrong hands, they can be dangerous. Tammy Noble says, "Unfortunately, teens feel that prescription medicines are safer than illicit drugs, which is not necessarily true." Noble works at the Iowa Statewide Poison Center. She's says they've gotten several calls about teens who went to "salad parties" or "pharm parties." That's where they bring a handful of pills, mixing them in a bowl with all the others, and then pick out ones to take. Noble adds, "And most of the time they're not really sure what the pills are. They're just picking the pink pills out of the salad bowl. It's not one or two pills, they're mixing different pills so it's hard to say what's going to happen. "
Where do they get these pain killers, narcotics, sedatives and even attention disorder pills like ritalin? Noble says, "A lot of these prescription medicines are readily available in your own medicine cabinet." Noble says a lot of teens pocket mom and dads pills, or grandpa and grandma's meds when no one's looking, but she says, "It may not be your teenager that's taking them, it might be your teenagers friend who happens to make a trip to the bathroom and starts removing some of those pills."
And when that supply runs out, they turn to the internet. Noble says it's fairly easy find prescription drugs for sale online. All a teen needs is a computer and a credit card. So how do you keep teens from this danger? Start by keeping medication out of sight. Noble says, "These should be locked up in a cabinet where people can't just readily access them." And watch you're credit cards for charges you don't know about. It may be an online drug purchase. And talk to your teen about drug abuse. Those simple steps could save your child from a damaging, if not fatal, mistake.
But prescription drugs aren't the only concern. Tammy Noble says they get calls weekly at the Iowa Statewide Poison Center for kids who've abused over the counter medicines. The most popular, Coricidin HBP. It's a cold medicine often used by people with high-blood pressure. But cold relief is not what teens are looking for. Noble says, "They are specifically looking for the Dextromethorphan. The teens are abusing it for the euphoria, but it can do problems like raise the blood pressure." And if they pick the wrong Coricidin HBP, they can also get excessive amounts of antihistamines or acetaminophen from taking the pills. That could lead to liver problems and much more.
http://www.ktiv.com/News/index.php?ID=10412
The idea of teens using drugs is nothing new. But, the way some teens are abusing prescription drugs is new. They're called "pharm parties." Teens take prescription drugs from their home, and creating a dangerous concoction with friends.
They're colorful, small, look harmless... and since a doctor prescribed them, you'd think they were safe. But when these little pills are in the wrong hands, they can be dangerous. Tammy Noble says, "Unfortunately, teens feel that prescription medicines are safer than illicit drugs, which is not necessarily true." Noble works at the Iowa Statewide Poison Center. She's says they've gotten several calls about teens who went to "salad parties" or "pharm parties." That's where they bring a handful of pills, mixing them in a bowl with all the others, and then pick out ones to take. Noble adds, "And most of the time they're not really sure what the pills are. They're just picking the pink pills out of the salad bowl. It's not one or two pills, they're mixing different pills so it's hard to say what's going to happen. "
Where do they get these pain killers, narcotics, sedatives and even attention disorder pills like ritalin? Noble says, "A lot of these prescription medicines are readily available in your own medicine cabinet." Noble says a lot of teens pocket mom and dads pills, or grandpa and grandma's meds when no one's looking, but she says, "It may not be your teenager that's taking them, it might be your teenagers friend who happens to make a trip to the bathroom and starts removing some of those pills."
And when that supply runs out, they turn to the internet. Noble says it's fairly easy find prescription drugs for sale online. All a teen needs is a computer and a credit card. So how do you keep teens from this danger? Start by keeping medication out of sight. Noble says, "These should be locked up in a cabinet where people can't just readily access them." And watch you're credit cards for charges you don't know about. It may be an online drug purchase. And talk to your teen about drug abuse. Those simple steps could save your child from a damaging, if not fatal, mistake.
But prescription drugs aren't the only concern. Tammy Noble says they get calls weekly at the Iowa Statewide Poison Center for kids who've abused over the counter medicines. The most popular, Coricidin HBP. It's a cold medicine often used by people with high-blood pressure. But cold relief is not what teens are looking for. Noble says, "They are specifically looking for the Dextromethorphan. The teens are abusing it for the euphoria, but it can do problems like raise the blood pressure." And if they pick the wrong Coricidin HBP, they can also get excessive amounts of antihistamines or acetaminophen from taking the pills. That could lead to liver problems and much more.
http://www.ktiv.com/News/index.php?ID=10412