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DANGERS OF SHARING PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION
by Jenny Ursworth
http://www.dprescription.com
What has become a big problem in this country is the
sharing, or downright stealing another persons
prescription. Prescription drug sharing among teenagers is
the biggest problem at the moment, causing an alarming
trend. Different studies are being done because so many
teenagers are either dieing or becoming seriously damaged
by taking other peoples prescriptions.
For instance, in one study of prescription medication
sharing, more than 20% of girls and 13% of boys stated
they had at one time or another taken medication from
someone else or given prescription medication to someone
else. The sad aspect of this is that the numbers are
growing. Typically, the medication sharing starts out as
a one-time use, taking prescription medication as an
"emergency" but then it turns into multiple occurrences.
Many girls claim the reason they begin sharing prescription
medication with their other girlfriends who either had
extra medicine, or received the prescription from an injury
of some kind. Reasons are not known why this occurrence
happens more with girls than it does boys. One suggestion
is that at the beginning of a girls period, abdominal
cramps are a very painful thing for them. They go to their
doctor and he/she prescribes maybe a mild sedative or
pain medication.
Unfortunately, while the intentions of prescription
medication sharing may be good, the results can be not
just dangerous but deadly. Unfortunately, many
medications, as well as vitamins and/or supplements have
the potential for negative drug interaction. That means
prescription medication could be given to someone who is
already taking another type of drug or vitamin that would
cause a serious reaction. Additionally, different people
react to medication differently. Therefore, while the
prescription might work for one person, it may not work for
the other and could cause serious side effects.
One of the major concerns is that teratogenic prescription
medication is being shared. These drugs cause birth
defects, which means a young girl or woman not knowing she
is pregnant that took this type of drug would be putting
the unborn baby at risk for birth defects. The problem
with prescription medication sharing has become so
monumental that we now see teenagers turning away from
crack, acid, and ecstasy, instead focusing on mom and dad's
painkillers. In fact, teenagers today have been nicknamed
"Generation Rx" because of this serious problem.
Many home medicine cabinets are full of all kinds of
different prescription drugs. With mom or dad suffering
from anxiety, migraines, depression, and back pain, these
kids have a huge choice on what to take today. If you have
a teenager in your home today, sit them down and talk to
them about this. Don't accuse, but talk to them about the
dangers of using someone else's prescription drugs. Many
teenagers are ending up in emergency rooms today from
taking someone's meds. They have different reactions, but
many teenagers fall into unconsciousness and sometimes
never wake up again, or causing brain damage so server that
the ability to learn anything ever again is gone.
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