Personal Injury Law

Teens Drug Therapy For Prescription Painkillers

By Jane Akre

Researchers find that teenagers frequently turn to prescription painkillers and other opioids such as heroin to get high.

In an editorial in the Journal of the American Medical Association, estimates are as many as 400,000 adolescents are playing with medications such as Vicodin and Oxycontin to get high. As many as ten percent of 12^th graders may be taking hydrocodone.

How best to treat these teens?  

A new study suggests that extended treatment with a combination of detoxification medication has more success than short-term drug therapy. While traditionally not a therapy for younger adults, the combination of buprenorphine-naloxone has shown better results in breaking the addiction, according to lead author Dr. George Woody, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania's Department of Psychiatry.

While treatment for these kids has typically been short-term, Dr. Woody says to the Washington Post,  "With opioid-addicted kids you should reconsider the reluctance."

In this study, 152 young people underwent 12 weeks of treatment with the buprenorphine-naloxone treatment. Others had the treatment for just two weeks.  Both groups received individual and group counseling.

After four weeks of treatment, 26 percent of the extended-therapy patients had a positive urine test for drugs, compared to 61 percent of the short-term therapy patients. By 12 weeks, among the short-term therapy teens, 51 percent still tested positive for opioids, compared to 43 percent on the extended drug therapy.

Most young people who have an addiction to Vicodin and Oxycontin, develop their dependence before the age of 23. 

A report issued in August blames parents as "passive pushers" of drugs by not only having them around but by not enforcing rules at home.

Teenagers say it's easier to get prescription drugs than beer, according to the 13^th annual survey on attitudes about drug abuse, published by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University. 

One year ago, 13 percent said it was easier to obtain prescription drugs than cigarettes, beer or marijuana. Now that number is up to 19 percent and 43 percent report they can get their hands on drugs in less than one hour.

Parents become "passive pushers" when they don't know where their teenage children are, even on a school night.  The study finds half of teens say they are out on a school night while 14 percent of parents said their children were out on a school night. # 

Full post as published by InjuryBoard on November 05, 2008 (boomark / email).