Our latest study on American teens just hit the streets.  If you’re an adult with a child in your life you are the news!  In our study that can be found here, 37 percent of teens reported “learning a lot” about the risks of drugs from their parents in 2008.  That’s a significant 16 percent increase over the previous year and the first major positive change, well… ever!

You do have power!  Parents are doing a better job communicating, but (you knew there was one of those coming) we found that only 24 percent of teens report that their parents have discussed the dangers of abusing prescription (Rx) and just 18 percent of teens say their parents discussed the risks of abusing over-the counter (OTC) medicine.

Rx and OTC abuse is an incredibly dangerous behavior.  To get those important conversations going, here are two super sources of information.  First is our Not In My House site that helps parents understand the Rx drug abuse issue.  Next are our resources on OTC cough medicine abuse.

Just for fun, here’s a nice audio file with Charles Osgood’s take on all of this good news from his recent edition of The Osgood Files on the CBS Radio Network.

Thanks parents!  You CAN do this.  Keep up the great work!

Steve

• 
  (Permalink | Email This Post )
  Posted by: Steve Pasierb