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Danger in the Medicine Cabinet
Drug Addictions Don't Just Happen on the Street
By Tamekia Reece
Teens, like some adults, seem to think that if a medicine is prescribed by a doctor, it must be safe and won't have any of the harmful side effects usually seen with use of more illicit drugs like crack and cocaine. But that's where they're wrong.
"Anyone who abuses prescription drugs always feels that it's cleaner because you're not necessarily buying them from a drug dealer in a dangerous neighborhood," says David Rotenberg, the executive director of adolescent services at the Caron Foundation, one of the oldest and largest addiction treatment providers in the United States. "They may seem safer and cleaner, but in fact, many prescription drugs fall into the same categories as street drugs, and they're every bit as dangerous."
Dangerous indeed. Common side effects of prescription drug abuse range from minor annoyances, such as constipation, slurred speech and dry mouth, to much more serious effects, like comas, digestive problems, convulsions, cardiac arrest and death.
Doesn't seem like such a small thing now, does it? And it gets even worse.
What Casey is describing may be shocking, but it is very common. Many teens brag about how easy it is to steal a couple of pills from their parents or other family members and either sell them to make a quick buck or use them to get high. In fact, when asked, most teens who abuse prescription drugs say they usually get their drugs from their own home.