From 2002 to 2009 only Oxycontin abuse has held a steady trend among adolescent women, when looking at illicit drugs.  The popularity of prescription drug abuse is dangerous for teen women for several reasons.  They are perceived to be low risk, are highly addictive opiates, and can lead to illegal heroin use when these women become adults.

Prescription drugs have the lowest perceived risk among all teens.  Since most teen women tend to seek security for themselves, it stands to reason that they would feel safer using prescription drugs over marijuana, cocaine, and methamphetamines.  Even Oxycontin, a very strong opiate pain killer, can be considered safe by the most security-conscious teen women.

Opiates are highly addictive, though, so even one use can lead individuals down a quick path to addiction.  As opiate tolerance builds in teen women, they need higher doses to get the desired effect from Oxycontin.  Once dependence sets in the drug is needed to, at the very least, relieve opiate withdrawal symptoms.

As time passes and dependence increases, prescription opiate addicts usually switch to heroin in order to satisfy their habits.  For adolescent women, this is certain to open the door to illegal activities and negative behaviors.  Their friends and acquaintances also change, and they may frequent unsafe locales to obtain illegal drugs.

Opiate addiction must be addressed immediately when problems arise.  Women face more physical, mental and emotional consequences than men from prescription opiate and heroin addiction.  The first stop should be medical detoxification, followed by residential or outpatient drug treatment.  Some women may find comfort in knowing that gender-specific treatment is available that includes childcare.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration published a report on alcohol and drug use trends since 2002.  It includes data that supports the information above at this link:
http://www.oas.samhsa.gov/NSDUH/2k8NSDUH/tabs/Sect8peTabs1to43.htm#Tab8.19B

Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles provides drug detox and women only alcohol and drug treatment as part of our commitment to integrated behavioral healthcare in alcohol and drug treatment.  If you or a loved one needs help for drug addiction or alcohol dependence, please call us now at 800-996-1051 or contact us here.

Southern California Locations for Alcohol and Drug Treatment
Tarzana Treatment Centers has locations all over Southern California in Los Angeles County. Other than our central location in Tarzana, we have facilities in Lancaster in the Antelope Valley, Long Beach, and in Northridge and Reseda in the San Fernando Valley.

Those who suffer from opiate addiction may want to learn a few things about Vivitrol, or injectable Naltrexone, which reduces alcohol cravings for those with alcohol dependence.  This may be of interest because phase 3 trials have been successfully completed on Naltrexone for opiate dependence, and it is going through the process for FDA approval.

So far it appears that Alkermes has produced a drug that passes all trial phases to the point that it should be approved.  But we will not pre-determine the outcome at this time.  While remaining prudent until final FDA approval comes, the potential for this type of medication assisted treatment provides us an opportunity to discuss different scenarios where it will be of use.

Prescription drug addiction, specifically opiate based pain killers, has many origins these days.  Teen prescription drug abuse is a growing concern and many individuals start using medications for pain relief and become addicted, to name two.  In any case, opiate dependence is largely driven by opiate cravings.

Adolescents generally start using pain medication for 2 reasons.  When teens lack something to do, they become bored and seek an outlet for the angst that comes with this critical time of growth.  Many will be offered illegally obtained prescription drugs, and some will try them.  Others who suffer injuries in sports or other physical activities may be prescribed opiates by their doctors.

This group of teens falls into a greater part of the population who, through accident or illness, start using prescription opiates for the reason they are intended.    While these drugs perform a great service to those suffering from pain, they are also highly addictive and some will continue to use them past the time they are necessary for pain.

Opiate cravings usually begin with the first use of a drug.  The brain responds to the euphoria they produce in an allergic fashion, manifesting in signals that the body needs more.  To date, there are no FDA approved non-narcotic medications to reduce these cravings, so once they are triggered they exist for life.

The excerpt below is from an article posted on the National Institute on Drug Abuse website.  The full article discusses current treatments available for opiate dependence.  

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The two main categories of drug addiction treatment are behavioral and pharmacological. Behavioral treatments encourage patients to stop drug use and teach them how to function without drugs, handle cravings, avoid drugs and situations that could lead to drug use, and handle a relapse should it occur. When delivered effectively, behavioral treatments-such as individual counseling, group or family counseling, contingency management, and cognitiveÐ behavioral therapiesÑalso can help patients improve their personal relationships and their ability to function at work and in the community.

Some addictions, such as opioid addiction, can be treated with medications. These pharmacological treatments counter the effects of the drug on the brain and behavior, and can be used to relieve withdrawal symptoms, treat an overdose, or help overcome drug cravings. Although a behavioral or pharmacological approach alone may be effective for treating drug addiction, research shows that, at least in the case of opioid addiction, a combination of both is most effective.

-- Source: http://www.nida.nih.gov/researchreports/prescription/prescription7.html --

Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles provides medication assisted treatment and youth drug treatment as part of our commitment to integrated behavioral healthcare in alcohol and drug treatment.  If you or a loved one has a problem with drug addiction or alcohol dependence, please call us now at 800-996-1051 or contact us here.

Southern California Locations for Alcohol and Drug Treatment
Tarzana Treatment Centers has locations all over Southern California in Los Angeles County. Other than our central location in Tarzana, we have facilities in Lancaster in the Antelope Valley, Long Beach, and in Northridge and Reseda in the San Fernando Valley.

There are several reasons that teens engage in prescription drug abuse.  The obvious one is peer pressure.  But while peer pressure has great influence where adolescent prescription drug abuse is concerned, it is less effective when parents take positive action.  Action starts with knowledge, and parents should know that boredom and a low-risk perception are also reasons for use.

We all know that the mind of a teen is in constant input mode and output is often abrupt and random.  They are always looking for something to do, consciously or sup-consciously.  So, for many, drug abuse is an escape from that turmoil.  If teens are encouraged to be involved in positive activities boredom has less time to set in.

Most teens will not turn to alcohol or drugs like marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine or heroin because they understand the risks that come from alcohol abuse and drug abuse.  But many of those same teens report in surveys that they see little or no risk in using prescription drugs recreationally.  Parents need to educate the youth of our society about the truth.

There is no guarantee that talking to your teens will prevent them from prescription drug abuse.  But if they don’t hear about the risks, they will only have peer pressure as input.  Remember that every little thing you say plants a seed that will grow with their experiences.  And most teens that see risks with alcohol and illegal drugs will make the risk connection in their minds.

Lassen County News posted an article about the teen prescription drug abuse problem in their California County.  The excerpt below offers tips for parents to identify when teens are using prescription drugs.  The full article link follows the excerpt.

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Signs parents should look for
Goodridge provided signs parents should look for to help determine if their child might be having a reaction to prescription drugs.

He said if a teen is awake when they are supposed to be sleeping or sleeping when they should be awake, that could be a side effect of a prescription drug.

If a teen comes home looking pale, clammy and has shallow breathing, parents need to call 911.

Opioids can depress breathing, but if a person has combined the drugs with medication such as Xanax, Avidan or alcohol, it can make the symptoms worse, Goodridge said.

Parents should also be watchful if their child is withdrawing from activities they normally enjoy, or if all at once the friends they hang out with have a sudden change in behavior, then Goodridge said parents need to start asking questions. The changes might not even be drug-related, but something is probably going on, he said.

-- Source: http://www.lassennews.com/News_Story.edi?sid=5894&mode=thread&order=0 –

Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles provides youth alcohol and drug treatment with prescription drug detox as part of our commitment to integrated behavioral healthcare.  If you or a loved one has a problem with prescription drugs, please call us now at 800-996-1051 or contact us here.

Southern California Locations for Alcohol and Drug Treatment
Tarzana Treatment Centers has locations all over Southern California in Los Angeles County. Other than our central location in Tarzana, we have facilities in Lancaster in the Antelope Valley, Long Beach, and in Northridge and Reseda in the San Fernando Valley.

October 23 – 31, 2009 is National Red Ribbon Week.  The purpose is to bring awareness to teens and parents about the dangers of adolescent drug abuse.  A major effort this year will be made to reverse the trend of adolescent prescription drug abuse.

If parents aren’t taking steps to prevent teen prescription drug abuse in their households, they should be.  These drugs are becoming increasingly more available to adolescents, and perception of risk is low.  Along with educating our youth, parents need to know what to do to stem the tide of prescription medication availability.

When painkillers or benzodiazepines are prescribed, like Vicodin, Oxycontin, Xanax and Valium, the warning to “Keep out of the reach of children” is very clear.  But all too often these drugs are kept in the medicine cabinet next to the toothpaste.  This is often because the warning label is misunderstood as referring to only small children and not teens.

Parents will lock the liquor cabinet, but leave dangerous drugs in an easy-access place.  This not only validates teens’ perceptions of low risk, but can also increase supply to the illegal prescription drug market.  Very few parents count these medications to make sure none are missing at any given time.

Remember that most people who use these drugs will not abuse or addict to them.  They will only use a portion of the supply they were prescribed, then either dispose of the rest or leave them unattended where they sit.  Sadly again, very few know how to properly dispose of these leftovers.

The illegal prescription drug supply to dealers is largely driven by stolen medications.  Although a major supply of the drugs is stolen from suppliers and pharmacies, every little bit counts.  Taking steps in the home to reduce the supply, even by a small margin, could save many lives.  

The teen perception of low risk from abusing prescription drugs also comes in part from the seemingly casual attitudes of their parents.  So the practice of securing prescription drugs during use, and disposing of them properly, can do a lot to reverse the adolescent prescription drug abuse problem.

The US Food and Drug Administration have released guidelines for the disposal of prescription drugs.  An important portion about “flushing” them is below, and a link to the full article follows.  All parents who use prescription drugs should read this, and family and friends should pass it on to those who do.

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Despite the safety reasons for flushing drugs, some people are questioning the practice because of concerns about trace levels of drug residues found in surface water, such as rivers and lakes, and in some community drinking water supplies. However, the main way drug residues enter water systems is by people taking medications and then naturally passing them through their bodies, says Raanan Bloom, Ph.D., an Environmental Assessment Expert in FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “Most drugs are not completely absorbed or metabolized by the body, and enter the environment after passing through waste water treatment plants.”

A company that wants FDA to approve its drug must submit an application package to the agency. FDA requires, as part of the application package, an assessment of how the drug’s use would affect the environment. Some drug applications are excluded from the assessment requirement, says Bloom, based on previous agency actions.

“For those drugs for which environmental assessments have been required, there has been no indication of environmental effects due to flushing,” says Bloom. In addition, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, scientists to date have found no evidence of adverse human health effects from pharmaceutical residues in the environment.

-- Source: http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Drugs/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/BuyingUsingMedicineSafely/UnderstandingOver-the-CounterMedicines/ucm107163.pdf --

Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles provides prescription drug detox as part of our commitment to integrated behavioral healthcare in youth alcohol and drug treatment.  If you or a loved one needs help for drug addiction or alcohol dependence, please call us now at 800-996-1051 or contact us here.

Southern California Locations for Alcohol and Drug Treatment
Tarzana Treatment Centers has locations all over Southern California in Los Angeles County. Other than our central location in Tarzana, we have facilities in Lancaster in the Antelope Valley, Long Beach, and in Northridge and Reseda in the San Fernando Valley.

Teen prescription drug abuse is on the rise due, in large part, to the ease with which these drugs can be obtained compared to yesteryear.  Beyond stealing from the family medicine cabinet and buying from illegal drug dealers, they can now get whatever they want from “rogue” internet pharmacies.

These new drug dealers disguise themselves as legitimate suppliers of drugs to those who need them.  In reality, they are no different than the classic drug dealer on the street.  Like street dealers change corners to avoid getting caught by police, online prescription drug dealers will change website addresses.

Being illegal and elusive, these websites create a serious problem for parents of teens who abuse prescription drugs.  Even if parental control software is installed on every computer in the house, there is no way to effectively prevent youths from purchasing drugs on the web.  Parents need to stay informed and arm themselves with knowledge.

For this purpose, Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles suggests that parents read the information below from the Treatment Research Institute (TRI) and Unyos, and bookmark the website www.websafeparent.com.  Although the website launch date is in September, it promises to be a good tool for parents concerned about adolescent prescription drug abuse.

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Philadelphia, August 3, 2009:   The Treatment Research Institute (TRI) and Unyos, a Maryland-based software developer, announced today they will collaboratively develop a software platform to help parents, professionals and others address the danger of teen-age access to rogue Internet pharmacies. 
  
Due for release September 2009 at www.websafeparent.com, the novel TRI/Unyos website will offer a mix of downloadable, science-based information, other multi-media resources, and an on-line community network.  The goal is to help concerned parents, patients and professionals understand and manage the dangers that Internet access to prescription drugs poses to cyber-savvy teen-agers and young adults. 

The resource will build upon "WebSafe," an existing TRI training for parents.  WebSafe is based on TRI's research into Internet pharmacies, where "no questions asked" purchase of dangerous prescription drugs - some just as lethal as heroin and other street drugs - is commonly available.

 "Drug addiction is a major problem of our society.  It destroys human potential and community and has led to an overburdened criminal justice system.  We are excited by the opportunity to help TRI address this misunderstood health care problem and continue the shift to prevention and treatment." stated Mr. Carey Kriz, the CEO of Unyos.   "We were looking for a partner to help us explore how the Internet could be used to enhance social communication and support in health care, and TRI, with its experience with WebSafe and more generally the addiction community, stood out as best-of-breed".

Constance Pechura, Ph.D., TRI Executive Director, applauded the potential of the alliance to propel dissemination of science-based information, particularly to parents.  "TRI conducts some of the best addiction research in the nation and is committed to increasing the impact of our findings by communicating them as broadly as possible.  Unyos understands how to use modern technology to rapidly disseminate targeted information," Pechura said.  "The TRI/Unyos collaboration has the potential to extend the reach of our discoveries to the very people who need but otherwise might not get them," she said.

As part of the alliance, Unyos will bundle its secure collaboration platform with TRI-reviewed content to establish a single web destination helping parents and other individuals and organizations create a defensive and protective strategy against unacceptable drug content from the Internet.  Their new web site will include a mixture of information, how-to tips, and downloadable software, and is designed to become the leading destination for help in managing damaging Internet content. 

For more information, contact Mr. Larry Jones at Unyos at ljones@unyos.com or 1-301-641-8334, or Bonnie Catone, TRI Director of Communications, at bcatone@tresearch.org.

-- Source: Email from the Treatment Research Institute (TRI) –

Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles makes a daily effort to find treatment news articles that we can share with our readers in the alcohol and drug treatment community.  The external content was found among other articles of equal informational and educational quality.

Southern California Locations for Alcohol and Drug Treatment
Tarzana Treatment Centers has locations all over Southern California in Los Angeles County and Orange County. Other than our central location in Tarzana, we have facilities in Lancaster in the Antelope Valley, Long Beach, and in Northridge and Reseda in the San Fernando Valley.

Parents today are more likely than ever to get the bad news that their teens need help with prescription drug abuse.  The family medicine cabinet is no longer the only source for prescription drugs, since they can be obtained illegally from drug dealers.  This is the sad reality with rising trends of adolescent prescription drug abuse.  The real shock, though, is when a parent discovers that their teen is an illegal prescription drug dealer.

Many of these parents would say that they had no warning.  Even parents that pay attention to their teens’ activities can miss what is happening right in front of them.  Adolescents use texting to communicate, and a text message can be deleted quicker than it was typed.  So drug deals can be made at the family dinner table, using an extreme example.

Some parents may know that their teens engage in occasional alcohol abuse or marijuana abuse, and others may feel certain that they don’t use any substances.  In either case, adolescents who sell illegal prescription drugs may not abuse them.  Occasional use is not necessarily abuse, but it has the potential to lead a teen to future alcoholism or drug addiction.

Drug dealing is usually a means of making either money or friends.  It can also be used to support a growing drug habit.  But selling drugs tends to strike fear in parents where alcohol and drug use may not.  They know the legal implications can have a profound effect on the teen as well as the family.

Since the outward signs of negative behavior are not always visible, a call from school or the police station can turn the lives of family members upside-down.  The legal problems are just the beginning.  This is because the illegal activity is only the presenting problem, and the real problem needs to be processed in therapy.

When a teen is arrested for non-violent drug crimes, it is likely that some form of drug rehab will be ordered by a judge.  Adolescent drug rehab includes family therapy, so healing can begin if all are willing to participate.  So what about parents who discover the drug dealing without the aid of law enforcement?

Some teens “slip up” and parents find a bag full of painkillers, a neighbor reports strange behavior, or an angry friend lets the truth be known.  The first thing a parent will do in these cases is call a friend and ask, “What do I do?”

The answer is similar to what law enforcement does.  Insist that drug dealing teens meet with an admissions counselor in adolescent alcohol and drug rehab.  It is better to be safe than sorry, and assume that adolescent drug abuse is a problem.  By taking quick action, you can keep your child out of the justice system, and prevent future problems with alcoholism and drug addiction.  

The approach to alcohol and drug rehab needs to be presented as the only acceptable option.  Parents need to make it clear that they care about their teens’ safety, and that the drug dealing is placing the entire family at risk of legal troubles.  No amount of illegal drug sales or use should ever be accepted in the home.

Adolescents perceive that there is little risk in using prescription drugs since doctors give them to patients.  But side effects and withdrawal symptoms can cause serious medical and emotional complications, and overdoses can be fatal.

If you need help with teen prescription drug abuse, including dealing, please call Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles at 800-996-1051 or contact us here.

Southern California Locations for Alcohol and Drug Rehab
Tarzana Treatment Centers has locations all over Southern California in Los Angeles County and Orange County. Other than our central location in Tarzana, we have facilities in Lancaster in the Antelope Valley, Long Beach, in Northridge and Reseda in the San Fernando Valley, and in Santa Ana.

Adolescent prescription drug abuse continues to climb.  Teens are now using painkillers at a rate that is second only to marijuana, as well as using sedatives like Valium and Xanax.  And the trend is being driven primarily by a perception among youth that prescription drugs are not dangerous.

Now is a good time for parents to have a very effective conversation with their children about the dangers of prescription drug overdose.  Although the jury is still out on the cause of death for Michael Jackson, there are news reports that he possessed a large amount of prescription drugs and used some of them.  Armed with some knowledge, families can possibly get positive results from a sad loss.

The conversation can begin by asking your teens how they feel about Michael Jackson’s death, and if they are aware of the possible prescription drug abuse involved.  You can then lead the discussion to how other teen idols, including some from your time and your parents, died as a result of prescription drug overdose.

You should name stars like Elvis, Marilyn Monroe, Anna Nicole Smith, and others.  Note that they were all popular like Michael Jackson at the time of their deaths, and had influence on large populations.  This will eliminate any sense that Jackson’s was an isolated incident.

Adolescents want to emulate pop idols, even when they exhibit negative behaviors.  Unfortunately, we hear about these behaviors often, and teens have a tendency to see them as normal and okay.  So the goal of this conversation is to inject the reality that prescription drug abuse is very risky.

Do not let the conversation end without driving home the point that prescription drug overdoses resulting in death are not so uncommon these days.  It is also important to remain calm and non-accusing throughout the conversation.  

If you need further assistance in talking to your teen about prescription drug abuse, or if there is already a problem, Tarzana Treatment Centers can help.  Please call us at 800-996-1051 or contact us here.

The BHC Journal has posted an interview with Marvin D. Seppala, MD, Chief Medical Officer of Hazelden.  The excerpt below should encourage any parent to read the entire interview.

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Dr. Seppala, what would you like to tell other behavioral healthcare professionals and primary care providers about the state of this problem in our country right now?

Marvin Seppala: Well, it’s the fastest growing of the addictions. It’s really skyrocketing in regard to trends in addictions – and this is one that is really trending upward. It’s to the point where the prescribed opioids are now basically second to marijuana, if you think of them as an elicit substance. So if you exclude alcohol and tobacco addiction because they’re legal and say what’s illegal, because the abuse of these substances is illegal, then marijuana is first, and prescription opioids are second. And so there’s a huge problem occurring across the country. We’ve seen dramatic elevation of E.R. admissions for opioid-related problems, in particular overdose. There’s been a dramatic elevation in treatment center admissions for opioids. So it’s become a significant problem, even to the point that methadone (and not the liquid methadone for maintenance programs), the wafer methadone that’s prescribed by pain clinics, killed more people in Oregon last year than heroine. And that’s happened in a couple of other states, as well. So we’re seeing just a huge increase in the use of pain medications by the general population.

-- Source: http://www.bhcjournal.com/News/SpecialFeatures/tabid/252/Default.aspx?ArticleId=31647 –

Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles makes a daily effort to find treatment news articles that we can share with our readers in the alcohol and drug treatment community.  The external content was found among other articles of equal informational and educational quality.

Southern California Locations for Alcohol and Drug Treatment
Tarzana Treatment Centers has locations all over Southern California in Los Angeles County and Orange County. Other than our central location in Tarzana, we have facilities in Lancaster in the Antelope Valley, Long Beach, in Northridge and Reseda in the San Fernando Valley, and in Santa Ana.