‘Pharm’ Parties

“We all had different prescriptions,” says 18-year-old
Laura.

“You know, percocets, valium, zanex, oxycontin,” says
James, 21.

“I wanted to get as loaded as I could. Didn’t care
what I was taking, how much of it,” adds Laura.

James and Laura met in rehab.

Both are drug addicts who used to get high at parties.

Parties where everyone brought some kind of prescription drug
and passed them around, often combining them with pot or alcohol.

“When I first started using and mixing drugs, I felt like
a superhero, like nothing, you know, I was invincible,” says
Laura.

Some kids call them ‘pharm’ parties… for ‘pharmaceutical’.

Experts say the allure is… the unknown.

“What kind of new experience can I get? And very often
it’s kids who are just bored of smoking pot day in and day
out… cause they’ve reached a saturation point,” says
Addiction Counselor Robert Margolis, Ph.D.

But experts say taking someone else’s prescription is dangerous… especially
when combined with other drugs.

“There are combinations out there that if you start to
mix together will create reaction in your body that by the time
you know what’s happening, it’s too late,” Dr.
Margolis.

“What I did notice is that I would black out a lot of nights,” says
James.

Laura survived her years of drug years… but her addiction
led to mood swings and depression that made her suicidal.

“Once I started getting heavily addicted, I tried overdosing
several times, so I wanted to die, I didn’t want to live
anymore,” she says.

“The risks are immense and the kids don’t realize
that,” says Dr. Margolis, “And they’re everything
from having a tremendous hangover to fatal.”

“Pharm” parties are just the latest example of a trend
that seems to be sky-rocketing out of control. A new study from the Substance
Abuse & Mental Human Services Administration reveals that non-medical
use of pain relievers and tranquilizers is at a record high, with nearly
3 million youth aged 12 to 17 admitting their abuse of prescription drugs.
The findings also show that the number of kids abusing prescription drugs
has risen as much as 500 percent since the mid-1980s. Consider these additional
statistics from survey:

• New users of stimulants increased from more than 200,000 in
  1991 to almost 700,000 in 2000.
• New users of tranquilizers have been increasing since the mid-1980s,
  but the largest increase has been recently, from more than 700,000
  new users in 1999 to almost 1 million users in 2000.
• The number of new users of sedatives remained around 100,000
  per year between 1988 and 1994. Starting in 1995, the number rose
  from 111,000 to 175,000 in 2000.

• Between 1998 and 2000, new users of pain relievers among 12-
  to 17-year-olds outnumbered those among 18- to 25-year-olds.
• Among youth (aged 12 to 17), females were more likely to have
  used prescription-type drugs non-medically in the past year (9
  percent) compared to males (7 percent). However, among young adults
  (aged 18 to 25), males were more likely to have used in the past
  year (14 percent) compared to females (10 percent).
• Among youth, whites (12 percent) were more likely to have used
  prescription-type drugs non-medically in the past year compared
  to Hispanics (8 percent), blacks (6 percent) or Asians (5 percent).
• Youths in non-metropolitan or small metropolitan areas were
  more likely to have used prescription-type drugs non-medically
  in the past year (9 percent) compared to youths in large metropolitan
  areas (7 percent).

A companion report from the Drug Abuse Warning Network also points
to an alarming trend in drug use. It shows that hospitals logged
90,000 visits for opiate abuse – a 117 percent rise over the
number of visits in 1994.

As a parent, it is important to understand
that teens may be involved with legal and illegal drugs in various ways.
The American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) reports
that many teens begin using drugs to satisfy their curiosity, to make themselves
feel good, to reduce stress, to feel grown up or to “fit in.” While
it is difficult to know which teens will experiment and stop and which
will develop serious problems, the National Institute of Drug Abuse says
the following types of teens are at greatest risk of becoming addicted:

• Those who have a family history of substance abuse
• Those who are depressed
• Those who have low self-esteem
• Those who feel like they don’t “fit in” or
  are out of the mainstream

Because the U.S. Food and Drug Administration puts its seal of
approval on prescription drugs, many teens mistakenly believe that
using these drugs – even if they are not prescribed to them – is
safe. However, this practice can, in fact, lead to addiction and
severe side effects. The Center for Drug Evaluation and Research
cites the following most commonly abused prescription drugs:

• Opioids – Also known as narcotic analgesics, opioids are
  used to treat pain. Examples of this type of drug include morphine,
  codeine, OxyContin (oxycodone), Vicodin (hydrocodone) and Demerol
  (meperidine). In the short term, these drugs block pain messages
  and cause drowsiness. A large, single dose can cause severe respiratory
  depression and death. Long-term use leads to physical dependence
  and, in some cases, addiction.
• Central nervous system (CNS) depressants – These drugs
  are commonly used to treat anxiety, panic attacks and sleep disorders.
  Examples include Nembutal (pentobarbital sodium), Valium (diazepam)
  and Xanax (alprazolam). CNS depressants slow down normal brain
  function and can cause a sleepy, uncoordinated feeling in the beginning
  of treatment. Long-term use can lead to physical dependence and
  addiction.
• Stimulants – These drugs are commonly used to treat the
  sleeping disorder narcolepsy and attention-deficit hyperactivity
  disorder. Examples include Ritalin (methylphenidate) and Dexedrine
  (dextroamphetamine). Stimulants, which can be addictive, enhance
  brain activity and increase alertness and energy. They elevate
  blood pressure, heart rate and respiration. Very high doses can
  lead to irregular heartbeat and high body temperature

How can you determine if your teen is abusing drugs? The AACAP
suggests looking for the following warning signs and symptoms in
your teen:

• Physical – Fatigue, repeated health complaints, red and
  glazed eyes and a lasting cough
• Emotional – Personality change,
  sudden mood changes, irritability, irresponsible behavior, low
  self-esteem, poor judgment, depression and a general lack of interest
• Familial – Starting arguments, breaking rules or withdrawing
  from the family
• School-related – Decreased interest, negative attitude,
  drop in grades , many absences, truancy and discipline problems
• Social – having new friends who are less interested in
  standard home and school activities, problems with the law and
  changes to less conventional styles in dress and music

If you believe your teen has a problem with drug abuse, you can
take several steps to get the help he or she needs. The American
Academy of Family Physicians suggests contacting your health-care
provider so that he or she can perform an adequate medical evaluation
in order to match the right treatment or intervention program with
your teen. You can also contact a support group in your community
dedicated to helping families coping with addiction.

Substance abuse can be an overwhelming issue with which to deal,
but it doesn’t have to be. The Partnership for a Drug-Free
America offers the following strategies to put into practice so that
your teen can reap the rewards of a healthy, drug-free life:

• Be your teen’s greatest fan. Compliment him or her on all
  of his or her efforts, strength of character and individuality.
• Encourage your teen to get involved in adult-supervised after-school
  activities. Ask him or her what types of activities he or she is
  interested in and contact the school principal or guidance counselor
  to find out what activities are available. Sometimes it takes a
  bit of experimenting to find out which activities your teen is
  best suited for, but it’s worth the effort – feeling
  competent makes children much less likely to use drugs.
• Help your teen develop tools he can use to get out of drug-related
  situations. Let him or her know he or she can use you as an excuse: “My
  mom would kill me if I smoked marijuana!”
• Get to know your teen’s friends and their parents. Set
  appointments for yourself to call them and check-in to make sure
  they share your views on alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. Steer
  your teen away from any friends who use drugs.
• Call teens’ parents if their home is to be used for a party.
  Make sure that the party will be drug-free and supervised by adults.
• Set curfews and enforce them. Let your teen know the consequences
  of breaking curfew.
• Set a no-use rule for alcohol, tobacco and other drugs.
• Sit down for dinner with your teen at least once a week. Use
  the time to talk – don’t eat in front of the television.
• Get – and stay – involved in your teen ’s
  life.