The Other Teen Drug Problem

I am not surprised by this. It seems illegal use pharmaceutical drugs is going up among teens. I tend to think many if not most pharmaceutical drugs do not work or their side effects are worse than the illness. For some reason many people think the pharmaceutical companies have our best interests at heart. They are really out to make as much profit as they can.

The nation's education programs on drug abuse have had success in shaping perceptions of street drugs and those that abuse them. We've seen the use of amphetamines, methamphetamine, and crystal methamphetamine decline significantly.Marijuana use also modestly decreased in 2007. It seems that the message that these street drugs are illegal, dangerous, and potentially deadly has reached teens and had an impact on them. But few are even talking about the risks of abusing prescription drugs.

Education is probably a major factor in the decreased use of these illicit street drugs by teens. However, one of the flaws in many existing programs is that they target specific illegal drugs and instill fear in those who may choose to use them.

If you do not treat the root causes of drug use, you will not fix the problems with drugs.

We are winning the battle against certain illegal drugs. But if teens are just switching to alternative sources, what have we really gained?

Update: From the comments.

As the director of Novus Medical Detox, we daily see the ravages of prescription drugs. We need to wake up soon to the facts--some of these prescription drugs are just legal heroin and cocaine. They have the same molecular structure and create the same effects--except that they have the mantle of "legitimacy" because they can be obtained from a licensed pharmacy.

I think that is the problem.