Ignorant Parents blamed for Drug Abuse among Teenagers

Ignorance of parents towards the activities of their school-age children has significantly contributed to a rise in drug abuse among teenagers. A recent survey of the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University discloses that it is relatively easy for youngsters to lay their hands on prescription drugs than acquiring a bottle of beer.

According to Elizabeth Planet, director of special projects for CASA who coordinated the survey, the main source of drugs such as OxyContin, Percocet, Vicodin and Ritalin is “the medicine cabinet,” which contributes to 34 percent of drug misuse. Friends are another major source of drugs for teenagers.

25 percent of the teens said marijuana was the easiest to purchase, with 43 percent of 17-year-olds claiming they could buy the drug in less than an hour.

The survey says it’s the ‘problem parents’ who are to blame, as they have no idea of what their children do on school nights, fail to keep their prescription drugs out of reach, and do not discuss about the dangers of drug or alcohol abuse, at home.

50 percent of youngsters said they routinely left their homes to hang out with their friends on school nights, but only 14 percent of parents believed their kids did this.

29 percent of those who get back after 8 p.m. said they occasionally drink alcohol, smoke marijuana or use other drugs. While amongst those coming home after 10 p.m., 50 percent said they usually consume alcohol, marijuana and other drugs.

“It’s inexcusable that so many parents fail to appropriately monitor their children. Problem parents are a big part of why so many teens smoke, drink, get drunk and abuse illegal and prescription drugs,” said Joseph A. Califano Jr., CASA’s chairman and former US Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare.

Drug abuse has declined over the last six years, but the abuse of prescription medicine is a serious concern, said Nora Volkow, the director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

The prescription medicines are known to have harmful effects on the brain of teenagers, which is still in the development stage. They may cause accidents, sexual activities and drive teenagers to addiction.

"Fifty years ago, people would lock up the liquor," Califano added. "Maybe there should be a lock on the medicine cabinet now."

25 percent of the teens said they know a parent of a classmate or friend who smoked marijuana and 10 percent said this parent did so with teenagers.

“When parents are not part of the solution, they become part of the problem,” Califano said.

Marijuana smoking was found to be higher in teens who dined with their family less frequently; Califano recommended family dinners as a simple way of reducing drug misuse.