The 8th, 10th and 11th-graders in Fond du Lac (Wisconsin) county took a survey – 16% admitted to having taken prescription drugs without a prescription in the year prior. That’s almost one out of every five kids. To address the problem, the county has formed a task force to educate 6th graders about the dangers of prescription drugs, including the very real potential of prescription drug addicton, overdose, etc.

They’re hoping to nip the problem in the bud so as the kids get older they’ll refuse the drugs when offered to them, or won’t hear about them and check out their parent’s medicine cabinet so see what they can find.

The high school drama class is participating – they’re putting on skits that demonstrate the problem.

Of course, that doesn’t do anything for the older kids currently taking them, or for the young adults who tend to take even more prescription drugs in college if they started earlier.

Prescription drugs can be very difficult to quit taking – the withdrawal effects are sometimes even worse than street drugs, and it can be dangerous. Which is why doctors and drug labels warn that you should not try to stop taking some of them without help.

Many of those young adults will need help through an addiction treatment center. Any parent who knows their kids are taking them should look for help right away. People tend to think that prescription drugs are safe because they came from a doctor or because their parents take them. Just one pill can be bad enough – you never really know how someone will react to a particular drug – but because they know nothing about the drugs and think they’re safe, they can easily take higher dosages or combine them with other pills – both of which can be deadly.

Hopefully, the task force will also get that point across and prevent a lot of disasters. Those whose kids are already taking them should get some addiction help.

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