PRESCRIPTION DRUGS: How to Keep Youth Safe

Commonly misused prescriptions include those that treat pain (opioids), anxiety or insomnia (depressants), and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (stimulants). Misusing a prescription drug means taking medication other than as prescribed, taking someone else’s prescription, or sharing yours with others. Misuse can lead to addiction, overdose, and death.

How to create a safe environment:

• Lock up your medications. Contact us for a FREE lockbox!

• Dispose of them safely. Don’t hold on to unused medications. Drop them off, no questions asked, at a local law enforcement station or the Ho-Chunk House of Wellness. Prefer at-home disposal? Contact us for a FREE deactivation kit!

• Keep your prescriptions private. You and your family should not tell people about the medications you're using; and you should NEVER share prescription medications with others.

• Know how much you have: Count your medications on a regular basis to make sure none are missing.

• If your child is in pain, ask the doctor for alternatives to opioids first. If a prescription painkiller is needed, request a small amount to start. Start low and go slow. Administer the medication directly to your child and watch for side effects. There may be peer pressure for your child to share medication with friends, so don’t allow your teen to access the prescription directly.

• Know the signs of opioid overdose and how to respond. Contact us for training and free Narcan, a medication that reverses an overdose (a $125 value).

Some tips on what you can say to your teen: 

• Talk about side effects. Prescriptions are strong medicines that can help with medical problems when used as directed. But all medications have side effects, and some can be dangerous, like addiction, trouble breathing, and seizures. You must get prescriptions from a doctor who knows your health history and current medications.

• Emphasize the danger of combining drugs. Prescription drugs are especially dangerous when combined with alcohol or other drugs. That is why they are prescribed by a doctor who knows about drug interactions. 

• "Prescription drugs are not safe." Misusing a prescription medication can be just as dangerous as taking illegal drugs. Dangers include side effects, addiction, overdose, and death. About half of drug overdose deaths in the U.S. are caused by prescription medications. 

• "Sharing prescription medicine is against the law." It’s illegal to share your prescription medication or take anyone else’s.

Need ways to store prescription medications? Visit our coalition initiative tab on RX Drug Misuse Prevention to learn more.