Not in My House
Cleaning out the medicine cupboard today. Went to a mind-blowing event called Not in My House, where I learned that 1 in 5 teenagers (that's 20%! of all teens) are getting high with legal, prescription drugs. The drugs that teens are playing around with are extremely serious, but at the same time completely common — things like Vicodin, OxyContin, Ritalin, Xanax. More than 50% of these teens obtained the prescription meds from their very own home. And when the teens combine different drugs (drugs they consider "safe" because they're legal) the combination can be deadly.
Easiest way to keep this epidemic in check? Talk to your kids. Keep track of your prescription drugs while you're taking them. And get rid of your unused pills. Period. Want to learn more? Go here to see what the experts say. And go here to see what to do about it.
A part of me wants to ignore this and believe my kids are too little to have to worry about it, but then I thought about how many teenagers I invite into our home for babysitting or other gatherings. Best to make sure the medicine cupboard is empty of anything tempting.
A great (and sobering) event — sponsored by Abbot and the Partnership for a Drug-Free America. I learned much and got a kick in the pants to clean out my cupboards and talk to my kids about this. Bonus. I got to hang out with Jennifer of Snapshot & 5MFM (see her great write ups of the event here and here), as well as Amy of LIParentSource and One Mom's Memos (see her excellent write up here) — and get a tour of the gorgeous penthouse apartment that hosted the important and informative gathering.
The good-looking (and lockable!) wall mount medicine cabinets featured above are available from Heal's.
posted by Gabrielle of Design Mom at Tuesday, September 30, 2008
3 Comments:
So informative! Thank you so much. I too have littles, but they'll be big long before I'm ready for it. Best to prepare now, I suppose.
We went to see a documentary movie about this problem a few months ago and i came home really down. It is a big problem. Sinsce then I have found out 2 people I know are addicted to pain killers. so sad.
I think you are so smart to protect your children & teens that come into your home but there is a very important group of people ou didn't mention that is so real & although people don't want to admitt it I am happy to because I have walked the road & almost lost my husband & children over it. Mothers are one of the highest users amgonest addiciton to prescription medition. You need to lock them up from our girl friends to know matter what religion the are. I was active in the LDS church when I was throwing everthing away for pills. I justified it by thinking doctors were giving it to me so I wasn't breaking the word of wisdom but really I was destroying my body & the lives of all those I love. It was the church's 12 step program that brought me back. I am grateful to the Lord & a husband who took action. I listen to my children tell stories of my "Drug Days" & cry. No child should ever have to deal with that. They did because I had a doctor who was tring to help me & I took advantage of it. Teens are having trouble with it but mothers are suffering the most fom addiction & we need to reach out to them & offer help not onl for them but for their children as well.
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