"The Streets" is not the only place children get drugs from.

Half of the nearly 3.4 billion prescriptions dispensed each year are taken improperly, and this can lead to side effects, hospitalization, and even death. Young children can be harmed when given an incorrect dose, or when they take a medicine without supervision. In fact, there was an increase (30%) in the number of children under five years old visiting emergency departments due to medication poisoning from 2001 to 2008. Over half of those visits, 55%, were due to the child taking the medication on their own. Being an informed consumer will help keep you and your family safe.

Why do people take drugs? Some of the reasons young people have given for taking drugs is to fit in, to escape or relax, to relieve boredom, to rebel, and/ or to experiment. They think drugs are a solution. But eventually, the drugs become the problem.

Top abused Drugs- Many of these top the list of prescription drugs used non-medically by youth and young adults, who tend to favor pain relievers such as codeine, methadone, Demerol® (meperidine), Percocet, Vicodin, and OxyContin

Sex/ Gender- Overall, more males than females abuse prescription drugs in all age groups except the youngest (aged 12 to 17 years); that is, females in this age group exceed males in the non medical use of all psychotherapeutics, including pain relievers, tranquilizers, and stimulants. Among non medical users of prescription drugs, females 12 to 17 years old are also more likely to meet abuse or dependence criteria for psychotherapeutics.

Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention Plan- The 2011 Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention Plan expands upon the Obama Administration's National Drug Control Strategy and includes action in four major areas to reduce prescription drug abuse. They are  education, monitoring, proper medication disposal, and enforcement.

By- Esraa Abdelwahab

Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School