Urbandale Parents: Monitor Prescription Drugs Carefully

A popular topic of conversation and concern among parents of high-school children has been the issue of some teens' improper use of prescription drugs. 

Many of us have drugs in our cupboards and medicine cabinets that have been prescribed for legitimate medical reasons.  However, many of those drugs have become popular among high school age students, and others, for recreational use as well. 

We encourage you to monitor the drugs around the house to keep our students safe and drug-free.  One website, Parents – The Anti Drug provided tips for limiting teen’s access to prescription drugs:

1.         Safeguard all drugs at home.  Monitor quantities and control access.

2.         Set clear rules for teens about all drug use, including not sharing medicine and always following the medical provider’s advice and dosages.

3.         Be a good role model by following these same rules with your own medicines.

4.         Properly conceal and dispose of old or unneeded medicines in the trash.  Unneeded prescription drugs should be hidden and/or thrown away in the trash.

5.         Ask friends and family to safeguard their prescription drugs as well.