PCADC Operations Blog

Three steps to prevent prescription drug abuse

2009-10-02T20:37:00.002-05:00

This terrific link describes three simple steps that any parent can take to help prevent prescription drug abuse in your home. Check out the link, and click on What to do: 3 Steps link at the top of the page that opens.

http://www.drugfree.org/NotInMyHouse/

by Bob McKune

Michigan parents held responsible

2009-08-23T20:40:00.001-05:00

A Michigan city has decided it will hold parents accountable for their children's misdeeds. East Pointe, Michigan is the community, passing a new ordinance requiring parents to pay for the results of their kid's crimes and up levying up to a $500 fine.

by Bob McKune

Sheriff Lisenbe reports on Phelps drug war

2009-08-23T20:27:00.002-05:00

At 12 o'clock noon, on August 18, Phelps County Sheriff Rick Lisenbe made note that the Phelps County Jail contained 160 prisoners at that very moment, which is somewhat beyond its original intended capacity of 150. The sheriff also specified that about 90% of those prisoners were in on drug-related charges.

The Phelps County Sheriff's Department, the Missouri Highway Patrol, Drug Enforcement Agency, Rolla Police Department, and other law enforcement agencies have been engaged for a number of months in an undercover operation which is expected to result in a total of nearly 150 indictments by a Phelps County grand jury. There are still a number of suspects being sought in connection with this series of drug- related arrests.

The sheriff made particular mention that there were a number of different drugs involved ranging from pharmaceuticals, to mostly imported meth-amphetamines, what is called crystal meth, marijuana, and heroin. Many young people get their first exposure to drugs from controlled substances by abusing prescription medicines from their family medicine cabinets.

Sheriff Lisenbe said parents need to be aware that from Middle school, through Junior High, and Senior High, 80% or more of young people will be exposed to drugs and an opportunity to use them, either individually or in a group, by being directly offered drugs. He also repeated an often quoted statistic that shows that parents can reduce the chance that kids will use drugs by 50% simply by talking to their children about drugs and the dangers involved.

Addiction to drugs can be so quickly acquired especially in the case of meth-amphetamines that a huge majority of users can be addicted after just one exposure. The sheriff went on to say that drug abuse is of concern to every citizen in the country because of its impact on young people, the cost of law enforcement and thus to taxpayers, and the physical dangers involved by those using drugs who may be driving, stealing, assaulting, to "feed their habit."

The Missouri Department of transportation recently issued statistics showing that in 2008, 262 people were killed, 1,113 seriously injured and 3,398 received minor injuries in crashes involving an impaired driver. These incidents also included the abuse of alcohol.

by Bob McKune

A deadly combination

2009-07-28T20:19:00.003-05:00

A news story that some may have seen recently involved the death of a Missouri teenager (either a junior or sophomore in high school). The young man had combined alcohol and Xanax. The amount of alcohol consumed was considerable. And although I do not know the exact cause of death as determined by an autopsy, it was concluded that the mix of alcohol and Xanax led to his death. The point is that combining alcohol with prescription drugs, or one prescription drug with another, can have fatal consequences. Tell your kids about this. - Bob

Prescription drug abuse

2009-07-26T18:19:00.005-05:00

Research shows that children who learn about risks of abusing prescription drugs from their parents are less likely to use drugs, but only one third of parents say they have discussed the risks associated with the abuse of prescription drugs and over-the-counter cough and cold medicines with their teens. Another study shows that parents who talk to their kids about drugs diminish their chances of drug usage by 50%.

Early anti-drug education

2009-07-26T06:43:00.001-05:00

I was recently talking with Ray Massey, Director of Ambulance Services, at Phelps County Regional Medical Center. He and his staff are very engaged in reaching school age young people to discuss safety from several different perspectives: Home safety, safety on the internet, and of course, being safe from drugs. They have a program in place to reach every fourth grade student in the county with printed material and education on safety. There may be other organizations out there that are engaged in anti-drug efforts, or would want to be, and perhaps we should consider how we can coordinate our efforts more effectively.