Prevent the misuse of prescription medication
There can be no doubt that the misuse of prescription medication is the new front in our ongoing prevention work. Study after study depicts clearly that there has been a steady upsurge in medication misuse over the last decade, with no end in sight.
So what’s driving the problem? There appear to be multiple causes, including the greater number of prescription medications available, a greater likelihood of having prescriptions given by a physician or other prescriber, the daily onslaught of direct to consumer advertising of pharmaceuticals, and the proliferation of illicit “no prescription needed” websites.
The biggest increase in medication misuse is among adolescents, followed by seniors. Although each group has their own reasons for falling into patterns of misuse, the growth in misuse in those generations is outpacing misuse among adults in general. Still, all of us need to be mindful and proactive when it comes to the potential for misuse when we or someone we love begins a medication.
Certainly prescription medications are necessary and life-saving for many, and many prescription medications have no addiction potential, so effective prevention approaches must include an emphasis on proper use, rather than a non-use message. This includes education for us all, monitoring, and cautious prescribing patterns. In essence, we have to learn to live with prescription medications, use them wisely, and prevent misuse.
What steps can we take? Here are a few:
- Always ask about addiction potential when taking a medication. Don’t solely rely on an expectation that your prescriber will warn you of this in advance.
- Be careful about keeping old prescriptions, storing them in places where they are accessible by youth.
- Monitor the websites visited by your children to ensure that they are not obtaining prescriptions online.
- Talk about the proper use of medication with your family, your children and/or your aging parents. Good prevention begins with good communication.
