Prescription Drug Use Among Teens at Alarming Rate - Parents Check Your Medicine Cabinets

ALBANY, NY (10/23/2009)(readMedia)-- As the state and nation observe National Red Ribbon Week, October 23-31, state Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) Commissioner Karen M. Carpenter-Palumbo today urged parents to check their medicine cabinets and talk to their children to prevent the abuse of prescription drugs.

The OASAS 2008 Youth Development Survey reveals that nearly one in five, or 18 percent, of New York state high school seniors have abused prescription pain medications, compared to 13 percent nationally. That means more than 38,000 New York high school seniors have abused painkillers to get high.

The Youth Development Survey is the state's largest-ever prevention survey, in which more than 92,000 7th through 12th graders identified the factors that put them at risk for alcohol and drug use. The survey also reported on the protective factors that can be used to best prevent alcohol and drug use. The survey was completed by 28 counties indicating the specific findings in their area.

"Prescription drug use is now on the rise at 18 percent here in New York for our seniors compared to 13 percent nationally. More than 38,000 seniors have abused painkillers to get high," said Commissioner Carpenter-Palumbo. "Parents need to check their medicine cabinets - take notice of what medications are gone, keep track and talk to their children of the dangers of abusing drugs. Prescription drug use is deadly and cannot be ignored."

To address the alarming rate, OASAS will be sending out the Medicine Cabinet Inventory to all prevention programs across the state to distribute to parents, schools and communities as a resource to help prevent prescription drug abuse in homes across New York. The Medicine Cabinet Inventory is designed to track prescription and over the counter medicines in the home.

The state is calling on the heightened attention during National Red Ribbon week, Oct. 23-31, a drug prevention program, founded in 1985 by the National Family Partnership (NFP), which displays red ribbons to promote a drug-free America.

The red ribbon campaign was started when in 1985, Federal Drug Enforcement Administration Agent, Enrique Camarena, was kidnapped, tortured and killed by drug lords. Since that time, people across the country have worn red ribbons during the last week of October in his memory. Over time, the red ribbon has come to symbolize the importance of grassroots substance abuse prevention efforts to change behavior around drug use.

Evidence-based prevention strategies are a key component of the OASAS mission to improve the lives of New Yorkers by leading a premier system of addiction services through prevention, treatment, recovery. A number of prevention programs from across the state are spreading the drug-free awareness message in their communities.

Here are some prevention activities happening throughout the state during Red Ribbon week:

Steuben Council on Addictions: Haverling Central School will have two large presentations to 4th through 8th graders sponsored by Five Star Bank. Addison Central School will have a presentation/program to their after-school program. Flyers were distributed asking people to wear red on October 30 to raise awareness across the county. Public Service Announcements are being played in Bath, Corning and Hornell. Radio Interviews are scheduled promoting the Red Ribbon Week activities.

The Alcohol and Substance Abuse Council of Jefferson County: Will provide interactive and age-appropriate alcohol presentations to students in grades 1 - 6 and 9 - 12 and to conduct a drug-free pledge campaign.

Schoharie Prevention Council: Is holding assemblies for elementary through 10th grades in several of the county schools. They are using a game format and will meet with different grades at different times. The game format this year is 'Candy Land' where students are in teams and must answer either life-skills questions or drug and alcohol questions correctly to win 'too smart to start' bookmarks.

HFM Prevention Council (Hamilton, Fulton, and Montgomery Counties): Activities include: giving out glow in-the-dark bracelets which say "I am drug free," pencils with drug-free slogans; bookmarks which say "50 ways to stay drug free," and stickers with various drug-free slogans. Coalition members will also give these items to trick or treaters. The Council will display banners which say "I've got better things to do than drugs." The prevention educators at all grade levels will make posters with the students which will hang with the banners to display in schools, as well as encourage students to sign drug-free pledge cards.

Tioga County Council on Addiction and Substance Abuse: Activities begin with the national Family Day - Share more than a Meal in September. The Council will contact each 2nd grade classroom regarding their Meet the Teacher Night and offer a Family Day brochure for parents and a red "I'd Rather Eat Bugs Than to be On Drugs" bookmark for each student. Tioga County churches will offer a church bulletin insert for Pray for The Children Weekend. A new storybook, "The Red Ribbon..A Story of Hope," will be read to the 3rd grade classrooms, and a red ribbon bookmarker and pledge wristbands for each student will be provided.

CASA Prevention Services of Livingston County: Red Ribbon Week activites will include: themed contests heavily promoted to every school, all grades in the rural county; video production contest for 11th-12th grades, writing contests for English, literature, reading, non-English venues including French, Spanish and any other language a child is able to write; coloring contests for 1st to 6th grades; Poem contest for 5th grade and up; poster contests for all grades; T-shirt design contest which shirts are reproduced for the next summer's community events. Prizes are awarded at a pizza party and photos appear in local papers to extend the message duration, and in the CASA newsletter. Winning poems, creative writing and design work is put into full color poster format and distributed to schools the following year as environmental/cultural messaging. The consistent messaging, geared to parents, reminds them to first notice, and secondly support, their kid's decisions not to use substances. Added this year will be a community presentation and motivational speaker.

Mohawk Valley Council on Alcoholism/Addictions: Will be hosting a Red Ribbon Run-N-Fun, 5K Run/Walk. There will be activities, games and prizes for kids ages 6 through 12. Prizes will be awarded to the top male and top female runners in each age bracket. The race will be held on Saturday, October 24, starting at 10 a.m. and will be held at Proctor Park, Rutger Street, Utica. Event is sponsored by the Council and Utica Roadrunners.

The Rockland Council on Alcoholism and Other Drug Dependence, Inc.: Students will be signing pledges to be drug-free and provided a red ribbon bracelet. Questionnaires will also be given to the students regarding the campaign. Students will wear crazy socks to support, "Sock it to Drugs Day;" wear shirts backwards for "Turn Your Back on Drugs Day;" and red tulips will be planted on school grounds. Faculty will be wearing red and red ribbon lanyards and information tables will be in school cafeterias.

OASAS oversees one of the nation's largest addiction services systems dedicated to Prevention, Treatment and Recovery, with more than 1,550 programs serving over 110,000 New Yorkers on any given day.

Through efforts such as the Your Story Matters campaign at www.iamrecovery.com, the agency hopes to foster a movement of recovery, one that sheds the stigma and promotes a life of health and wellness.

Addiction is a chronic disease and New Yorkers need to know that help and hope is available. Individuals can find help by calling the toll-free, 24-hour, 7-day a week HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY. For more information, please visit www.oasas.state.ny.us.

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