FOCUS ON PREVENTION Prescription Drug Misuse: Not What the Doctor Ordered! Coalition Corner Contributed by: Carroll County Substance Education Coalition Prescription drug misuse is when someone takes a medication that was prescribed for someone else or takes their own prescription in a way not intended by a doctor or for a different reason like to get high. It has become a big health issue because of the dangers, particularly the danger of misusing prescription pain medications. For teens, it is a growing problem: After marijuana and alcohol, prescription drugs are the most commonly misused substances by Americans age 14 and older. Teens misuse prescription drugs for a number of reasons, such as to get high, to stop pain, or because they think it will help them with school work. Most teens get prescription drugs they misuse from friends and relatives, sometimes without the person knowing. Boys and girls tend to misuse some types of prescription drugs for different reasons. For example, boys are more likely to abuse prescription stimulants to get high, while girls tend to abuse them to stay alert or to lose weight. When prescription drugs are taken as directed, they are usually safe. It requires a trained health care clinician, such as a doctor or nurse, to determine if the benefits of taking the medication outweigh any risks for side effects. But when misused and taken in different amounts or for different purposes than as prescribed, they affect the brain and body in ways very similar to illicit drugs. CCSEC 30% of Carroll County Teens reported that getting prescription drugs When prescription drugs are misused, they can be addictive and put the person at risk for other harmful health effects, such as overdose (especially when taken along with other drugs or alcohol). And, misusing prescription drugs is illegal and that includes sharing prescriptions with family members or friends. (Source: NIDA) For more information on how to encourage drug-free behavior and TO THEM www.drugfreecarrollcounty.com GET THE FACTS: For information on how to was talk to your kids about drugs and alcohol - if you need help talking to your teens contact the Carroll County Substance Education Coalition at *Source: Illinois Youth Survey 2018 815-244-0063 or email ccsec04@gmail.com. "EASY. PARENTAL GUIDANCE REQUIRED PG TALK TO YOUR KIDS ABOUT NOT USING DRUGS Funding for this message is awarded to the CarrollCounty SubstanceEducationCoalition by SAMHSA's Drug Free Communities Grant. FOCUS ON PREVENTION Prescription Drug Misuse: Not What the Doctor Ordered! Coalition Corner Contributed by: Carroll County Substance Education Coalition Prescription drug misuse is when someone takes a medication that was prescribed for someone else or takes their own prescription in a way not intended by a doctor or for a different reason like to get high. It has become a big health issue because of the dangers, particularly the danger of misusing prescription pain medications. For teens, it is a growing problem: After marijuana and alcohol, prescription drugs are the most commonly misused substances by Americans age 14 and older. Teens misuse prescription drugs for a number of reasons, such as to get high, to stop pain, or because they think it will help them with school work. Most teens get prescription drugs they misuse from friends and relatives, sometimes without the person knowing. Boys and girls tend to misuse some types of prescription drugs for different reasons. For example, boys are more likely to abuse prescription stimulants to get high, while girls tend to abuse them to stay alert or to lose weight. When prescription drugs are taken as directed, they are usually safe. It requires a trained health care clinician, such as a doctor or nurse, to determine if the benefits of taking the medication outweigh any risks for side effects. But when misused and taken in different amounts or for different purposes than as prescribed, they affect the brain and body in ways very similar to illicit drugs. CCSEC 30% of Carroll County Teens reported that getting prescription drugs When prescription drugs are misused, they can be addictive and put the person at risk for other harmful health effects, such as overdose (especially when taken along with other drugs or alcohol). And, misusing prescription drugs is illegal and that includes sharing prescriptions with family members or friends. (Source: NIDA) For more information on how to encourage drug-free behavior and TO THEM www.drugfreecarrollcounty.com GET THE FACTS: For information on how to was talk to your kids about drugs and alcohol - if you need help talking to your teens contact the Carroll County Substance Education Coalition at *Source: Illinois Youth Survey 2018 815-244-0063 or email ccsec04@gmail.com. "EASY. PARENTAL GUIDANCE REQUIRED PG TALK TO YOUR KIDS ABOUT NOT USING DRUGS Funding for this message is awarded to the CarrollCounty SubstanceEducationCoalition by SAMHSA's Drug Free Communities Grant.