Prescription Drug Abuse Among Children and Teens Often Begins with the Family Medicine Cabinet

MIAMI, Oct. 27 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Family Partnership (NFP) has declared October 27th( )"Lock Your Meds" Day. The occasion is a call to action for parents to take a stand against the trend in prescription drug abuse among children and teens.

Statistics show that more than 6.2 million people age 12 and older abused prescription drugs in the last month (1). Only 4.7 percent of people 12 and older who abuse prescription drugs get them from a stranger, drug dealer or the Internet (1).( )In fact, 56 percent obtained the drug they most recently abused from friends or relatives (1).( )

"We know that prescription drug abuse among kids starts with access to the family's medicine cabinet," said Peggy Sapp, President and CEO of NFP. "With more than 4,000 children and young adults experimenting with prescription drugs every day (2)( ), this day is intended as a wakeup call for all parents to take responsibility for what is happening in their home and lock up their prescription medications. Parents literally hold the key to their children's drug-free future."

The second generation "Lock Your Meds" Day is part of the 24th annual Red Ribbon Week during October 23-31, the oldest and largest drug abuse prevention program in the United States. To help reach children and teens with the drug-free messages during this time, NFP reaches out to more than 91,000 schools across the country and encourages these schools and communities to unite and take a visible stand against drug abuse.

King Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a proud partner of NFP and "Lock Your Meds" Day.

NFP urges parents and family members to take the following steps to prevent teen prescription drug abuse:

    --  Lock your prescription medication and prevent abuse or misuse by
        securing the medication in your home.
    --  Take inventory of your current medications and periodically check that
        nothing is missing.
    --  Educate yourself and your children about the most commonly abused types
        of prescription medications and communicate the dangers to your child
        regularly.
    --  Set clear rules and monitor behavior by expressing your disapproval of
        using prescription drugs without a prescription.

    --  Properly dispose of old and unused medications.

To help parents take these steps and prevent the problem of prescription drug abuse in their homes, the campaign website (http://www.lockyourmeds.com) includes easy-to-use resources such as a home medicine inventory card and downloadable guidelines on how to properly dispose of prescription medicine. Parents can take a stand against prescription drug abuse by signing an online pledge and sharing their message with friends and family.

For more information on teen prescription drug abuse, Red Ribbon Week or to download "Lock Your Meds" materials, please visit http://www.lockyourmeds.com or call 305-856-4886 or toll-free at 800-705-8997.

About the Red Ribbon Campaign

Each year, the Red Ribbon Campaign reaches millions of young people during Red Ribbon Week who are asked to wear a symbolic red ribbon to show their personal commitment to a drug-free lifestyle. The mission of the Red Ribbon Campaign is to present a unified and visible commitment towards the creation of a drug-free America. The Red Ribbon Campaign was launched when drug traffickers in Mexico City murdered DEA agent Kiki Camarena in 1985, thus beginning the continuing tradition of displaying Red Ribbons as a symbol of intolerance towards the use of drugs. The theme for this year's campaign is "Drug Free is the Key."

About the National Family Partnership

The National Family Partnership (NFP), formerly known as the National Federation of Parents for Drug Free Youth, was created in 1980 by parents across America in response to the rising level of youth drug use. The mission of the National Family Partnership is nurturing parents to help children reach their full potential. The National Family Partnership works to accomplish its mission through parent training, parent networking and sponsoring the National Red Ribbon Campaign. The Partnership also assists in forming parent groups in all 50 States, provides education to parents about the health risks of drug use, distributes similar materials to members of Congress and supports alternative social activities for youth.

NFP's Sponsor

NFP's sponsor, King Pharmaceuticals(R), Inc., headquartered in Bristol, Tennessee, is a vertically integrated branded pharmaceutical company. King, an S&P 500 Index company, seeks to capitalize on opportunities in the pharmaceutical industry through the development, including through in-licensing arrangements and acquisitions, of novel branded prescription pharmaceutical products and technologies that complement the Company's focus in specialty-driven markets, particularly neuroscience and hospital. King's wholly owned subsidiary, Alpharma Inc., is also a leader in the development, registration, manufacture, and marketing of pharmaceutical products for food-producing animals. For more information about King go to http://www.kingpharmaceuticals.com.

Related links:

http://www.nfp.org

Resources:

    1. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Results from
       the 2008 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National findings.
       Rockville, MD: Office of Applied Studies, US Dept of Health and Human
       Services, NSDUH Series H-36, DHHS Publication No. SMA 09-4443; September
       2009.

    2. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Results from
       the 2008 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Detailed table 4.11A.
       Rockville, MD: Office of Applied Studies, US Dept of Health and Human
       Services, NSDUH Series H-36, DHHS Publication No. SMA 09-4443; September
       2009.

SOURCE National Family Partnership (NFP)