Pubdate: Tue, 16 May 2006
Source: Washington Post (DC)
Copyright: 2006 The Washington Post Company
Contact:  http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/491
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/oxycontin.htm (Oxycontin/Oxycodone)

NO DROP IN TEENAGERS' ABUSE OF PAINKILLERS

Teenage smoking and drinking continue to drop, but teenage abuse of 
prescription drugs has become "an entrenched behavior" that many 
parents fail to recognize, according to a survey being released today.

For a third straight year, the Partnership Attitude Tracking Study, 
conducted by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America, showed that 
about 1 in 5 -- about 4.5 million -- teenagers have tried painkillers 
such as Vicodin or OxyContin to get high.

Forty percent of teenagers surveyed said prescription medicines were 
"much safer" than illegal drugs, while 31 percent said there was 
"nothing wrong" with using prescription drugs "once in a while." The 
study also found that 29 percent believe prescription pain relievers 
are not addictive.

In 2003, the study found 20 percent of teenagers had tried the 
prescription drugs Vicodin, OxyContin and Tylox. Over the next two 
years, the numbers remained fairly steady.

Sixty-two percent of teenagers said prescription pain relievers are 
easy to find at home.

The 2005 study surveyed more than 7,300 teenagers in grades seven through 12.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman