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There was a time when the only drugs advertised on TV were Bayer aspirin (“Mother, PLEASE, I’d rather do it myself!”) Alka-Seltzer, (“Plop-plop, Fizz-fizz”) and Geritol (“Tired blood? Take GERITOL!”). The only other medications we knew of were weirdly-named concoctions, prescribed by our family doctor, in an illegible secret code, meant to be translated only by the pharmacist. Medicines were what we took when all home remedies had been exhausted, and directions for the “Magic Potions” were followed to the letter.
In recent years pill taking has become normalized in our society. The pharmaceutical industry has spent nearly twice as much money on advertising as on research and development of new medications. And since people have been encouraged by such advertisements to “ask their doctor”, the number of prescriptions filled in the United States increased 72 percent between 1997 and 2007, though the population grew just 11 percent in that decade, according to research by the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. Medications have become so commonplace, that there is barely a household without one or two half-full outdated prescription bottles hanging around in the back of the medicine cabinet.It’s no coincidence that prescription drug abuse among youth is showing a steady rise nationally and in Cortland County. Prescription drugs are considered by many to be more acceptable and harmless than “street drugs” like heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine. Because they are easily obtained and a part of everyday life, prescription meds are often stored out in the open, next to the aspirin and vitamins, where anyone who comes in the house can easily grab one or two…or fifteen. Dr. Wilson Compton, director of the Division of Epidemiology, Services and Prevention Research at the U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse says, “Painkillers are the number one in terms of the prescription drugs that are abused." People obtain painkillers for temporary conditions like tooth extractions or sprains and stop taking them when the pain subsides, but the remainder of the prescription lingers around, available to be “borrowed” or appropriated by someone else. 10 percent of teens say they took drugs from friends or relatives without asking. Anti-anxiety drugs like Valium and Xanax are also popular, as are CNS stimulants like Adderall, Ritalin, and Concerta. It is not unheard of for a youth to trade off his ADHD meds for money, popularity or protection. Some easy availability may be related to the Internet, but we need to look at our own behaviors, too. Here are some simple steps to reduce the availability of our own prescribed medications.
· Start your spring cleaning a little early by taking a careful inventory of all medications in your home.
· Put both prescription and over-the-counter medications in a safe place, such as a locked cabinet
· If you carry meds in your purse, be aware of the quantity, and keep your purse in a secure location, even at home.
· If you’re selling your home, remove all meds prior to the Realtor’s open house. Open House means just that…your possessions and meds are available to the world.
Members of Cortland Area Communities That Care and its Over-the-Counter/Prescription Drug Task force are planning a “Drug Take Back” later this spring to provide safe, legal disposal of outdated and unwanted medications. Be watching for our announcement of the date …till then, store all medicines safely, securely and out of sight.
For more information about prescription drug abuse, contact 7V CASA, Inc. at 607-756-8970 or
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. Joan Stivers is the Executive Director of 7V CASA and a founding board member of CACTC.
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