OUR TURN: Parents must do their part to stem prescription drug abuse

Though it’s certainly not their intent, parents and others who don’t secure their prescription drugs could be contributing to an increase in narcotics abuse among area teens.

Police, juvenile probation officials and the Burnet County Attorney’s Office say there is a spike in abuses involving hydrocodone among minors.

The drug is commonly prescribed for moderate to severe pain. The unused pills then end up forgotten in a medicine cabinet somewhere.

And that’s where the abuses start, because juveniles looking to use or sell these drugs only have to go as far as the family bathroom, not to some street corner.

The problem is getting worse, say authorities.

The Juvenile Probation Office plans to launch awareness programs soon to educate the public about the abuses of prescription drugs, but there’s no reason why the community has to wait until then to start taking action.

Parents and others can safeguard their children now and stop the flow of drugs before they hit the streets. Here are some suggestions:

• Have a lockbox for all prescription drugs.

• Keep them in a place where children can’t find them.

• Because it’s inadvisable to throw them away (where the drugs can harm the environment), talk to your pharmacy about returning unused prescription drugs, which then can be disposed of properly.

• Watch the newspaper and other media for announcements of drug drop-off campaigns, such as the ones held by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. One is scheduled for 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, April 28, at the Burnet County Courthouse on the Square, 220 S. Pierce St. in Burnet.

• Visit the U.S. Food and Drug Administration website, www.fda.gov, for more details on drug disposal.

This isn’t to say other drug problems have gone away. While cocaine use has declined among young people, marijuana remains as popular as ever.

There are other prescription drugs being abused by minors as well, and parents should watch for these, too — Xanax, used for treating panic and anxiety; and Ritalin, given primarily to children for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

All of the prescription drugs have valid medical uses. But when they are abused, they cause serious side effects and can be fatal in some cases.

Hydrocodone, for example, should never be mixed with alcohol. It also shouldn’t be mingled with other drugs without a doctor’s approval.

But juveniles may think these drugs are safe because they are issued as prescriptions by a doctor.

The first line of defense against abuse or tragedy is parents. Active, involved and observant mothers and fathers must play their part to stem any abuses and keep not only their own children but also the entire community safe.

Burnet County Attorney Eddie Arredondo has said the most effective anti-crime programs that involve juveniles are only successful when parents participate as well.

That’s certainly good advice, and time has proven its worth. Parents must remain vigilant and ready to intervene for the safety of the children.