What other household substances might a child or adolescent abuse?
An increasing number of teens are experimenting with prescription drugs and inhalants. Parents need to be aware of the threats that these household substances can pose to their children. Prescription medications – Because they are more easy to acquire than substances like heroin and cocaine – and because they have less of a stigma associated with them – prescription medicines are becoming more popular with teens who seek an easy, inexpensive high. Opiate pain killers like Vicodin and Oxycontin as well as benzodiazepines including Xanax, Valium, and Ativan, which are used in the treatment of anxiety disorders, are especially popular with teenagers. Both of these classes of drugs depress the central nervous system and can produce feelings of relaxation and/or euphoria. A distressing number of teenagers are attending “pharm parties”. Before the party, attendees harvest or “pharm” the medicine cabinets of their family, neighbors, and others. At the party, all pills are placed in a central
