South Carolina College of Pharmacy Introduction: Introduce yourselves and SCCP Hello everyone, my name is _________, and we are students at the South Carolina College of Pharmacy. We are here to raise awareness about a serious and growing public health problem – the misuse and abuse of prescription medications. This program was developed by the Generation Rx Initiative at the Ohio State University College of Pharmacy, with the support of the Cardinal Health Foundation. Presenters names go here

What is a prescription drug? A medication that requires written instructions from a doctor, which can then be dispensed by a pharmacist. What is a prescription drug? Take 1 answer from a student then click PowerPoint to show answer. The definition of a prescription is a medication that requires written instructions from a doctor which can then be dispensed by a pharmacist.

How many prescriptions are purchased in the United States every year? 3.8 Billion How many prescriptions do you think are purchased every year in the United States? (Take 2-3 student responses then click to show answer.)   3.8 billion Prescriptions are purchased every year. This program was named Generation Rx because over generations, people have become more dependent on prescriptions and often “self-prescribe” or think they need to take a prescription for every small problem. Because there are so many people in the US taking prescription drugs, it can become very dangerous if people use them incorrectly.

Why do people need prescription drugs? To improve the quality of their health Why do people need prescription drugs? – ask the students and take 2-3 answers. There are different reasons people need to take different prescription drugs. They could need them because they are sick or have a disease, or to prevent becoming sick or having a disease. You may have taken prescription drugs before such as antibiotics for a sinus infection or strep throat. Or you may have been given a prescription cream you put on your face for acne. People who need prescription drugs generally take them to improve the quality of their health.

Abuse vs. Misuse Misuse: taking a medication incorrectly or in a different way than your doctor prescribed. Abuse: taking a medication without a prescription in order to experience the feeling it gives you or “get high”. Taking the wrong amount Taking it at the wrong time Forgetting to take it Stopping use of the medication too soon 20% of teenagers abuse prescription drugs Abuse vs. Misuse Today we’re going to be talking about how people use prescription drugs the wrong way and why that can be dangerous. There are two categories: abuse and misuse. Abuse is taking a medication without a prescription in order to experience the feeling it gives you or “get high”. What percentage of teenagers do you think abuse prescription drugs? Take 2-3 answers from students then reveal answer. The correct number is 20%. Misuse is taking the medication incorrectly or in a different way than your doctor told you to. This can include taking the wrong amount, taking it at the wrong time, forgetting to take it, or stopping use of the medication too soon. We are going to talk about why abuse and misuse of prescription drugs can be dangerous and how to use prescriptions safely.

Why do people abuse prescription drugs? To get high or feel good On accident (misuse) “Self-medicating” To feel better Peer Pressure To feel more confident To do better in school They’re bored To rebel or someone told them not to They think they are safer than street drugs What are some reasons you think people abuse prescription drugs? – Ask the students and take 4-5 answers, or more if the students are really involved. Click PowerPoint to show answers. You can go over the reasons below and recognize the answers students give as well. So some of the reasons people are abusing prescription drugs are: To get high or feel good On accident, this would be categorized as misuse To “self-medicate”- maybe they think they need a prescription but don’t want to tell their family, friends, or doctor To feel better if they are anxious, sad, depressed, or stressed To fit in or because friends pressure them or because family members do it To feel more confident To do better in school They’re bored To rebel or because people told them not to Some people may abuse prescriptions because they think they are safer than street drugs. In 2007, the abuse of prescription drugs exceeded all street drugs except marijuana. “Street drugs” include drugs like cocaine and heroin.

Why are abuse and misuse dangerous? Every year 15,000 people die from overdosing on prescription painkillers In 2009, 1.2 million emergency room visits were prescription drug related while 1 million were related to elicit drugs. Why is abuse dangerous? So why is it bad or unsafe to take prescription drugs when they are not prescribed to you? If doctors are telling some people to take these drugs and they are legal with a prescription, why are they illegal for me and I can’t take them? For example, if you had high blood pressure your doctor might give you a prescription for a drug called Lisinopril, which lowers your blood pressure. But if someone took this drug when they didn’t need it, it would lower their blood pressure below normal which could be very dangerous for that person’s health. Drugs like this are not commonly abused, but this applies to other prescriptions like painkillers. Every year 15,000 people die from overdosing on prescription painkillers. Click PowerPoint to show this statistic. What do you think causes more people to go to the emergency room every year – prescription drugs or illicit “street” drugs like cocaine and heroin? Raise your hand if you think street drugs. Raise your hand if you think prescriptions. Possibly assess which group had more hand raisers then click to show statistic. In 2009, 1.2 million emergency room visits were related to prescription drug abuse/misuse, compared to 1 million that were related to illicit drugs. So what this statistic tells us is that it is just as dangerous to use prescription drugs as it is street drugs.

Commonly Abused Drugs: Opioids Pain medications are prescription medications given to individuals to provide relief for many types of pain. Examples Codeine Percocet Vicodin Side Effects Slowed breathing Lowered pulse/blood pressure Addiction Coma Death The most commonly abused prescription drugs are opioids, such as Codeine, Percocet, and Vicodin. Does anyone know what this type of drug is used for? Take 1 answer. These prescriptions are given to relieve pain and cause euphoria and drowsiness. If you have gotten your wisdom teeth out, you may have been given a prescription for one of these medications because of the pain after your surgery. But if these drugs are used incorrectly without a prescription they can cause serious health consequences such as slowed breathing, lowered pulse and blood pressure, tolerance and addiction, coma, or death.

Commonly Abused Drugs: Depressants Prescribed by a doctor to relieve anxiety, reduce arousal or stimulation Examples Xanax Valium Ambien Phenobarbital Depressants are another class of commonly abused. These types of drugs are called sedatives and tranquilizers – why do you think people take this type of drug? Take 1 answer. This type of medication is used to relieve anxiety, reduce arousal or stimulation and gives a feeling of well-being. Health consequences from using them incorrectly are poor concentration, impaired coordination or memory, withdrawal, and addiction. Examples of this type of drug include Xanax, Valium, Ambien, and Phenobarbital.

Commonly Abused Drugs: Stimulants Medication prescribed by a doctor to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder by balancing chemicals in the brain Examples Adderall Vyvanse Concerta Side Effects Increased heart rate Decreased appetite Nervousness Heart attach Stroke Abuse of stimulants is becoming a large problem on college campuses. Does anyone know of a commonly abused prescription stimulant? Take 1 answer. You may have heard of students using a prescription called Adderall in order to concentrate and study. This type of medication is used to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), by balancing certain chemicals in the brain. This allows these patients to focus, be more patient, sit still, and control other symptoms caused by ADHD. A couple examples of this class of drug are Adderall, Vyvanse, and Concerta. The consequences of using this drug incorrectly are increased heart rate and blood pressure, decreased appetite, nervousness, insomnia, seizure, heart attack, or stroke. Studies have also shown that students who abuse Adderall or other stimulants to cram for tests actually show a decline in academic performance.

Why are abuse and misuse dangerous? Addiction and withdrawal Accidents and injury Poor academic performance IT’S ILLEGAL! Other dangers of abuse These statistics may seem really extreme. Drug abuse can be deadly in many situations, but you have probably realized that some prescription drugs aren’t going to immediately put you in a coma, give you a seizure, or kill you after trying it one time and not a large amount. However, many other serious consequences can come from using prescription drugs incorrectly. Addiction: A reason some people think prescription drugs are safer is because doctors prescribe them to some people who need them. However, it is possible to become addicted to many prescription drugs. Doctors control how much you can get of a medication and give directions to make sure you’re taking a safe amount. If you become addicted you could also experience withdrawal symptoms when you stop taking the drug, including anxiety, sweating, vomiting, shakiness, hallucinations or suicidal thoughts. Accidents: when taking drugs you are more likely to have impaired thinking poor judgment, and slowed reactions. You are at a greater risk for injury and are more likely to get into dangerous situations. Poor academic performance: while some students think that prescriptions will help them with school, prescription drug abuse has actually been linked to a decline in academic performance. Teenagers who abuse prescriptions have a higher risk of dropping out of high school or college. What are reasons you think abusing drugs could have negative effects on performance in school? Take 1-2 answers. Some reasons are that they are more likely to skip class, put in less effort because they think the drugs are helping them, and have trouble sleeping. These students are also more likely to also be taking street drugs and drinking alcohol, which can lead to a lot more problems. It’s illegal! How many of you play a sport? (Have students raise their hands.) How many of you want to go to college? How many know what job you want to have when you grow up? Getting caught abusing drugs can result in suspension from school or sports, fines, jail time, and a higher likelihood of committing or being involved in another crime.

How to prevent abuse: Peer Pressure 80% of teenagers have not abused prescription medications 90% of teenagers don’t think using prescription drugs is important for fitting in with friends How to prevent abuse: Peer Pressure   Now we’re going to talk about better ways to solve the problems that lead people to abuse and misuse prescription drugs. One reason people are abusing prescriptions are because of peer pressure or they think “everyone one is doing it”. Does anyone remember what percentage of teenagers have abused prescription drugs? Take 1 answer then click to show statistic. The answer is 20% which means that the majority of teens (80%) are not. What percentage of teenagers think using prescription drugs makes you “fit it”? Take 2-3 answers then show statistic. 90% of teenagers don’t think using prescription drugs will make you fit in. What these statistics show is that while teenagers may think that all of their peers are abusing drugs and “everyone is doing it”, the majority do not and don’t think it’s an important part of fitting in.

How to prevent abuse: Academics Ask for help from teachers, parents, coaches, or school counselors If you think you need prescriptions, ask your doctor How to prevent abuse: Academics   Another reason we talked about is using drugs to improve performance in school, and we learned that drug abuse will lead to a decline in academic performance. What are other ways to get help in school without turning to drugs? Take 2-3 answers from students click to show answers. Ask for help from teachers, parents, counselors. If you think you need to take medicine for studying or focusing, ask your parents and doctor.

How to prevent abuse: Accidents Read the directions on your prescriptions Ask you doctor and pharmacist to make sure you’re taking it correctly Set a timer as a reminder Keep medications in the original bottle and stored in a safe place How to prevent abuse: Accidents   What about misuse or accidents? How would you prevent taking medicine you have a prescription for but in the wrong way? Take answers from students then click through answers. Some things you can do to make sure you’re taking medications correctly are reading the directions, talking to you doctor or pharmacist, set a timer to remind yourself to take it at the right time, keep drugs in the original bottle, and keep them stored in a medicine cabinet.

How to prevent abuse: Self-medicating If you think you need prescription drugs for focusing, because you’re sad or stressed, or any other reason – ask your doctor! Self-medicating If you think you need prescription drugs for focusing, because you’re sad or stressed, or any other reason – ask your doctor! Your doctor will put you on the right medication in a safe and controlled way. If you need help but don’t want to talk to your parents about it, ask other family members, your school counselor, teachers, or a doctor or pharmacist.

How to prevent abuse: Thinking it’s safer than street drugs 40% of teenagers consider the abuse of prescription drugs to be much safer than street drugs. The majority of teenagers who abuse prescriptions get them for free from family and friends They think they’re safer than street drugs   Earlier we discussed how there are more emergency room visits for prescriptions than illicit drugs each year, and 15,000 deaths from painkiller overdoses. However, 40% of teenagers consider the abuse of prescription drugs to be much safer than street drugs. The majority of teenagers who abuse prescriptions get them for free from family and friends. Click PowerPoint to show the statistics. It’s important to remember that there are still life threatening risks associated with prescription drug abuse and it’s illegal to take a medication you do not have a prescription for.

If you think you have a problem – GET HELP! Crisis Call Center: 1-800-273-8255 or text ANSWER to 839863 crisiscallcenter.org National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA): http://teens.drugabuse.gov National Institute on Drug Abuse Drugabuse.gov Ask your parents, doctor, pharmacist, coaches, or teachers If you think you already have a problem or think you need prescriptions, get help! Find someone you are comfortable talking about it with, or visit these websites for more information.   Crisis Call Center: 24/7 prevention and intervention hotline that anyone can call for any type of crisis including drug abuse, suicidal thoughts, loneliness, or depression. In addition to the hotline, they also offer intervention through texting. National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA): facts about drugs, addiction, and the science behind drug abuse. Answers to questions from teenagers about drugs, and real-life drug abuse stories. Thank you for your attention today, does anyone have any questions?