With the untimely death of Michael Jackson, there has been much speculation that his prescription drug use may have played a role.

Partnership research shows that 1 in 5 teens has abused a prescription painkiller to get high. In fact, today’s teenagers are more likely to have abused prescription medications than illicit drugslike Ecstasy, cocaine, crack, meth and heroin.

The Partnership encourages parents to take this opportunity to talk with their teens about the risks of prescription drug abuse. Tips and tools on how to have effective conversations are available at www.TimeToTalk.org.

Parents can also take proactive action in their own homes to prevent prescription drug abuse. The Partnership recommends parents take a three-step approach:

Educate themselves about which medications are abused and learn about the very real dangers and risks of this behavior

Communicate these risks to their kids, dispelling the notion that medicines can be “safely” abused

Safeguard medications by limiting access to those that can be abused, keeping track of quantities and safely disposing of medications that are no longer needed. To learn how to safely dispose of medications please visit Not In My House. Parents should also enlist the support of fellow parents to ensure they do the same.

For more information or to contact a Partnership spokesperson, please contact Candice Besson at (212) 973-3517/candice_besson@drugfree.org.