Daily HealthBeat Tip

Raiding the medicine chest

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I'm Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

Using prescription drugs to get high is second only to marijuana as America's most common drug problem. HHS' Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration � SAMHSA � says people from teens on up are misusing pain relievers, tranquilizers, stimulants and sedatives.

Survey data show up to 80 percent of those users said they got drugs from a friend or relative.

SAMHSA's Dr. Westley Clark:

"Young people or young adults may shop around, visiting the homes of friends, visiting open houses of homes for sale, and help themselves to medications." (nine seconds)

Clark says it's a good reason to keep a lock on the medicine chest, and throw out drugs you no longer need. He also says parents should counsel kids that drugs not prescribed for them are not good for them.

Learn more at www.hhs.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I'm Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: December 7, 2006

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