entrenched threat: prescription and otc medicine abuse behavior
TRANSCRIPT
Entrenched Threat:Prescription and
OTC Medicine Abuse Behavior
Who we areMission: Dedicated to helping parents prevent, intervene in, and treat drug / alcohol use by their children in order to reduce use
Ethos: Objective, independent, uncompromising integrity, accountable to the American public
Competencies: Responsible for the single largest research-based public education campaign and web resource in the nation’s history that has helped cut drug use by teens and increase parent involvement
Research: Created PATS an annual national study on drug use and underlying attitudes (21st year). Also innovative studies on Rx abuse and parenting
Essence: Private sector nonprofit coalition uniting parents, renowned scientists, and communication professionals. Launched in 1986
A Partnership for Parents
Science & ResearchTreatment Research Institute University of Pennsylvania
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Communications & TechnologyPartnership for a Drug-Free America
Parents’ Needs, Experience, Support
Kids who learn a lot about the risks of drugs from their parents are up to
50% less likely to use.
Drug Use Starts Early
• Average age of first use is 13 years old
• By end of 8th grade, 1 out of 5 kids have tried an illicit drug
• Every day 4,000 teens try an illicit drugfor the first time
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Trends in Substance Abuse Among 8th Graders%
Source: Monitoring the Future Study; Past Month Use Institute of Social Research, University of Michigan
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Alcohol
Cigarettes
Illegal Drugs
17 -35%
21
15
7 -67% 7 -47%
vs. ‘96
16
Lifetime Trial
Marijuana
Inhalants
Rx Medicines
Cough Medicine
Ketamine
Ecstasy
Crack/ Cocaine
LSD
Meth Heroin
GHB
Source: 2008 Partnership Attitude Tracking Study, 6,518 teens in grades 7 through 12
New Tier of AbuseNew Tier of AbusePATS 21st annual wave. Study tracks elaborate and complex attitudes teens and parents have about substance abuse.
GHB
Ketamine
Heroin
Meth
LSD
Ecstasy
Cough Medicine
Crack/Cocaine
Inhalants
Marijuana 8.1 million
4.7 million
4.7 million
2.5 million
2.3 million
1.5 million
1.6 million
2.1 million
1.2 million
1.1 million
1 million
The New Landscape
Prescription Medicine
Source: 2008 Partnership Attitude Tracking Study (PATS) Teens, 6,518 teens in grades 7 through 12
Rx/OTC Products Abused
• Rx pain medications• Rx stimulants• Rx tranquilizers/sedatives• OTC cough/cold
We must address the behavior of intentionally abusing medicines
Key Factors Driving Rx Abuse
•Misperception that abusing medicine is not dangerous (safer than “street drugs”)
• Ease of access via medicine cabinets at home (#1) or friend’s house, other person’s prescriptions
Source: Partnership Attitude Tracking Study
Teen perceptions of safety
Oxycodone• Brand name: Oxycontin
• Intended Use: Long-acting narcotic pain reliever used to treat moderate to severe chronic pain
• Effects if Abused: Slowed breathing and heartbeat, dizziness and fainting, tremors, muscle weakness, drowsiness or loss of consciousness.
Hydrocodone• Brand names: Vicodin, Lortab, Lorcet
• Intended Use: Narcotic pain reliever used to treat moderate pain; also a cough suppressant
• Effects if Abused: Vomiting, slow breathing, slow heartbeat, unusual sweating, chills, loss of consciousness
Diazepam• Brand Name: Valium
• Intended Use: Used to treat anxiety and seizures, relieve muscle spasms and as a sedative during medical procedures
• Effects if Abused: Severe drowsiness, slow reflexes, slow and shallow breathing, fainting
Temazepam • Brand Name: Restoril
• Intended Use: Used for short-term treatment of insomnia
• Effects if Abused: Slow breathing, slurred speech, or a deep sleep from which you cannot be awakened.
Alprazolam • Brand Name: Xanax
• Intended Use: Used to treat anxiety and panic attacks.
• Effects if Abused: Severe drowsiness, loss of consciousness
Doxylamine • Brand Names: Unisom, Medi-sleep
• Intended Use: Over-the-counter antihistamine used to treat insomnia and relieve cold and cough symptoms
• Effects if Abused: Extreme drowsiness, loss of coordination, seizures, hallucinations
Our teens….
1:5 have abused Rx1:10 have abused OTC
What is the potential for the problem to get worse?
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Users (past year)
Vulnerable
Non-Users
Discriminant Function Analysis to determine what other groups most closely correspond to Prescription Pain Reliever users. Teens who have similar attitudes as users.
•508 interviews, half boys, half girls
•249 interviews 13-15 year olds
•259 interviews 16-18 year olds
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Adderall/ Ritalin
Aerosol sprays
Andro
Beer/ Wine
Caffeine
Cigarettes
Cleaning fluids
Cocaine
Cold and Cough
Cough Syrup
Crack
Creatine
Darvon
Dexedrine
Dilaudid
DXM
Ecstasy
Gasoline
GHB
Glue
Hard Liquor
Hashish
Heroin
Ketamine
LibriumLortab
LSD
Marijuana
Mescaline
Methamphetamine
OxyContin
Pain relievers you buy
PCP
Percodan Peyote
Rx drugs (No Rx)
Rx pain relievers (No Rx)
Psilocybin
Rohypnol
Steroids (Anabolic)
Tylox
Valium
Vicodin
Xanax
HIGH RISK
DIFFICULT TO GETTOTAL
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Adderall/ Ritalin
Aerosol sprays
Andro
Beer/ Wine
Caffeine
Cigarettes
Cleaning fluids
Cocaine
Cold and Cough
Cough Syrup
Crack
Creatine
Darvon
Dexedrine
Dilaudid
DXM
Ecstasy
Gasoline
GHB
Glue
Hard Liquor
Hashish
Heroin
Ketamine
LibriumLortab
LSD
Marijuana
Mescaline
Methamphetamine
OxyContin
Pain relievers you buy
PCP
Percodan
Peyote
Rx drugs (No Rx)
Rx pain relievers (No Rx)
Psilocybin
Rohypnol
Steroids (Anabolic)
Tylox
Valium
Vicodin
Xanax
VULNERABLES
HIGH RISK
DIFFICULT TO GET
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PAST YEAR USERS
Adderall/ Ritalin
Aerosol sprays
Andro
Beer/ Wine
Caffeine
Cigarettes
Cleaning fluids
Cocaine
Cold and Cough
Cough Syrup
Crack
Creatine
DarvonDexedrine
Dilaudid
DXM
Ecstasy
Gasoline
GHB
Glue Hard Liquor
Hashish
Heroin
Ketamine
Librium
Lortab
LSD
Marijuana
Mescaline
Methamphetamine
OxyContin
Pain relievers you buy
PCP
Percodan
Peyote
Rx drugs (No Rx)Rx pain relievers (No Rx)
Psilocybin
Rohypnol
Steroids (Anabolic)
TyloxValium
Vicodin
Xanax
DIFFICULT TO GET
HIGH RISK
Few Parents Are Acting On Rx/OTC Medicine Abuse
Parents do not think their teen is vulnerable to Rx/OTC abuse
Parents do not understand the behavior ofintentionally abusing medicine to get high
Parents think that if their teen did abuse medicinesit would not be as dangerous as “street drugs”
Source: Partnership Focus Group Studies
Teen motivations for abusing Rx…
Base: Rx Trier (155)
21. For each of the substances that you tried in the past, please think about the MAIN reason you used that substance or drug. First think about [INSERT FIRST DRUG]]. Which ONE of the following reasons best describes the main reason that you used [DRUG]?
A more nuanced view of motivation
It’s about “regulating” life
Physical regulation
Mental regulation
“Experience”
“Identity”
The teen cost / benefit analysis
Where do Rx drugs fit in the progression of use?
An addition, not a replacement
What Can Parents Do?
Educate themselves about Rx/OTC
Communicate the risks
Safeguard medications
Stay Involved + Intervene early
Communicate their love, concern, and disapproval of any drug use.
