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5/12/2006 1:09:57 PM
Untitled
"Generation Rx: A Culture of Pharming Takes Root" Among Hispanic Teens
For the second year in a row, the Partnership's national survey reveals alarming statistics that reflect the entrenchment of intentional abuse of prescription (Rx) and over-the-counter (OTC) medications to get high by today's Hispanic teen population. There are 2.8 million Hispanic teens in grades 7 - 12.
Key Findings:
Abuse of Rx/OTC medicines is now so prevalent it is "normalized" among Hispanic teens.
One in five (21 percent) or 581,000 Hispanic teens have tried prescription medication to get high
One in eight (13 percent) or 352,000 Hispanic teens report abusing cough medicine to get high
Teens mistakenly believe abusing Rx medicines is safe.
45 percent of Hispanic teens agree that Rx medicines, even if they are not prescribed by a doctor, are much safer to use than illegal drugs
51 percent of Hispanic teens say a reason why teens abuse Rx pain relievers is because "they are not illegal drugs"
39 percent of Hispanic teens give "they are safer to use than illegal drugs" as a reason why teens would abuse Rx pain relievers
35 percent of Hispanic teens give "fewer side effects than street drugs" as a reason why teens would abuse Rx pain relievers
Teens report Rx and OTC medicines for abuse are readily available, in friends'/family's medicine cabinets or on the Internet.
Over half of Hispanic teens agree prescription drugs are easier to get than illegal drugs.
Parents are crucial to helping prevent/intervene with this problem, but are largely unaware and ill-equipped to respond.
Only 36 percent of Hispanic teens "learn a lot about the risk of drugs" from their parents
Only 39 percent of Hispanic teens agree strongly that "taking cough medicine to get high is risky"
Troubling Trends:
Pharming - Kids "getting high" abusing Rx or OTC drugs;
It has never been easier to get high - Internet accessibility and loose e-commerce enforcement are enabling easy acquisition;
Parents do not understand the behavior of intentionally abusing medicine to get high; Parents are not discussing the risks of abuse of prescription and/or non-prescription cough medicine with their children;
Three out of five parents report discussing marijuana "a lot" with their children, but only a third of parents report discussing the risks of using prescription medicines or non-prescription cold or cough medicine to get high.
Two thirds of Hispanic parents report discussing marijuana "a lot" with their children, but only about a third report discussing the risks of using prescription medicines or non-prescription cold or cough medicine to get high.
Main Substances of Concern:
Methamphetamine (stimulant)
Inhalants (inhaled fumes)
Prescription drugs (pain relievers, tranquilizers, stimulants, sedatives)
OTC drugs (antitussives, CNS stimulants, antihistamines)
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