KANSAS CITY, MO -
A new survey of middle school students in Clay and Platte counties reveals a disturbing picture of prescription drug abuse. One in four kids said they've used a drug in a way other than prescribed or without a prescription. One in 10 had abused in the past month.
"They get 'em out of the medicine cabinet and they sell their parents', their grandparents', aunts', uncles', everybody's prescriptions are at risk," Gretchen Dugan, a counselor with Preferred Family Health's Outpatient Treatment Program said.
Dugan knows painkillers and ADHD drugs are at the top of the abuse list, but far from the only ones kids take. A mother recently told Dugan about finding her muscle relaxant on a table.
"Her daughter had chopped it up and she found the knife there and then she had snorted," Dugan said.
Dugan says everyone needs to safeguard drugs they're currently taking by monitoring the quantity and lock them up if necessary.
Don't flush old or unused medicine because the chemicals could pollute the water supplies.
"We asked that they take the unwanted pills and they put in something like cat litter, coffee grounds," Vicky Ward with Tri-County Mental Health said.
Or, better yet, take prescription drugs to a disposal event. The next one in the Northland is November 7. Kansas City Police will see that the drugs are incinerated.
"We're hoping to make them not as available, that kids can't go into a neighbor's house and use the restroom and find those medications there," Ward said.
The Northland Coalition and Kansas City Police will have the prescription drug disposal event across from the JCPenney store near Liberty from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., NE 82nd Terrace and N. Ditzler.
Another event is planned on Saturday, November 21 from 10 a.m. -6 p.m. at the Zona Rosa Community Area (below Marshall's).
Bring your unwanted medications to be disposed of properly and safely. The events are hosted by the Northland Coalition and the Kansas City Police Department. For more information, call 816-877-0498.
"They get 'em out of the medicine cabinet and they sell their parents', their grandparents', aunts', uncles', everybody's prescriptions are at risk," Gretchen Dugan, a counselor with Preferred Family Health's Outpatient Treatment Program said.
Dugan knows painkillers and ADHD drugs are at the top of the abuse list, but far from the only ones kids take. A mother recently told Dugan about finding her muscle relaxant on a table.
"Her daughter had chopped it up and she found the knife there and then she had snorted," Dugan said.
Dugan says everyone needs to safeguard drugs they're currently taking by monitoring the quantity and lock them up if necessary.
Don't flush old or unused medicine because the chemicals could pollute the water supplies.
"We asked that they take the unwanted pills and they put in something like cat litter, coffee grounds," Vicky Ward with Tri-County Mental Health said.
Or, better yet, take prescription drugs to a disposal event. The next one in the Northland is November 7. Kansas City Police will see that the drugs are incinerated.
"We're hoping to make them not as available, that kids can't go into a neighbor's house and use the restroom and find those medications there," Ward said.
The Northland Coalition and Kansas City Police will have the prescription drug disposal event across from the JCPenney store near Liberty from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., NE 82nd Terrace and N. Ditzler.
Another event is planned on Saturday, November 21 from 10 a.m. -6 p.m. at the Zona Rosa Community Area (below Marshall's).
Bring your unwanted medications to be disposed of properly and safely. The events are hosted by the Northland Coalition and the Kansas City Police Department. For more information, call 816-877-0498.
