Teens using 'pharm parties' to get high

The problem of illegal drug use and abuse has been well documented over the years, particularly when it applies to the nation's youth.

Lesser known, however, is the problem that exists with the use and abuse of prescription drugs that have led to a new national trend, "pharm parties," which involve participants getting together to sample different prescription medications in an effort to reach a high.

The speed at which such activity has grown caught even federal authorities off guard.

"We were taken by surprise when we started to see a high instance of abuse of prescription drugs," said Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute of Drug Abuse, which is collecting information about how teens perceive, get and use prescription drugs so it can create an effective prevention campaign.
Getting prescription medication and even cold medicine is not as easy as it used to be. The change has come largely because illegal drug manufacturers realized several of the ingredients in popular cold medications such as Sudafed and Robitussin could be used to make methamphetamines.

Now, state and federal laws require pharmacists check a picture ID for any controlled substance.

Because of the relatively benign reputation many prescription drugs have when compared to their illegal drug counterparts, many teenagers who engage in "pharm parties" and other prescription drug abuse to get a high don't realize they are putting their lives in danger.

"A lot of teenagers don't think about death," said Todd Holdren, principal of Zane Trace High School.

In a 2005 survey by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America, roughly 4.5 million youths reported they have taken OxyContin or Vicodin at some point. This marks a change from the traditional drug concerns.

"In the last 4 or 5 years, the drug problem has been marijuana and taking grandma's prescription," Holdren said. "Kids these days will do just about anything to get a high."

The local area is not exempt from such behavior. A few years ago, a Ross County high school student was hospitalized for tearing away a piece of a Tylenol patch that was on another student's stomach and swallowing it an attempt to get a high.

While local sheriff and police departments indicate they are aware of the increase in prescription drug abuse and are taking steps to combat it, schools are turning to education for answers. Many area schools offer programs to help steer kids away from substance abuse, such as the D.A.R.E. program, that helps drive home the consequences that can occur if they choose to go down that route.

"We try to educate our students in health classes and in the athletics department as well," said Holdren.

Area pharmacists also indicated there are certain brands of prescription drugs that are red flags to them if the wrong type of person seems to be purchasing them or if they suspect the medicine will be used for the wrong reasons. Pharmacists can choose not to make a sale if there is enough suspicion, and may even call the police if they feel it is warranted.

To try to reduce the supply of prescription drugs on the black market, national authorities have shut down several "pill mills" - where doctors prescribe inordinate amounts of narcotics - as well as Internet pharmacies that ship drugs with little medical consultation, said Catherine Harnett, chief of demand reduction for the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Last September, DEA agents arrested 18 people allegedly responsible for 4,600 such pharmacies.

http://www.chillicothegazette.com/apps/pbc...EWS01/708160303

[TheGreatDeceiver]

and Robitussin could be used to make methamphetamines.

LOL, K.

[Thomas Jefferson Monk]

WTLW Dave.

[bruffellz]

I never got got invited to any pharm parties.

[thomasKMFDM]

I was at a pharm party once. It was a birthday part of a coke dealer that gave me a half gram earlier that day. I ended up passing on everything I couldn't identify, which was a pity as I later identified the other pills to be hydros.

[Kang]

Originally posted by bruffellz@Aug 16 2007, 02:15 PM
I never got got invited to any pharm parties.

Same here, no one pharms in Nor Cal.

[Solar Rainbow]

Originally posted by TheGreatDeceiver@Aug 16 2007, 10:32 AM

LOL, K.

Robitussin PS

Narc.

[FleA]

Originally posted by drdªv€@Aug 16 2007, 06:18 AM
The local area is not exempt from such behavior. A few years ago, a Ross County high school student was hospitalized for tearing away a piece of a Tylenol patch that was on another student's stomach and swallowing it an attempt to get a high.

Yeah that happened to me once.

[ferk]

Originally posted by Kang+Aug 17 2007, 12:13 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Kang @ Aug 17 2007, 12:13 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin--bruffellz@Aug 16 2007, 02:15 PM
I never got got invited to any pharm parties.

Same here, no one pharms in Nor Cal. [/b][/quote]
Are you kidding? Pills are all over California, especially among the rich kids. NorCal has a lot of rich kids.

[Kang]

Originally posted by ferk+Aug 21 2007, 10:48 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (ferk @ Aug 21 2007, 10:48 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>

Same here, no one pharms in Nor Cal.

Are you kidding? Pills are all over California, especially among the rich kids. NorCal has a lot of rich kids. [/b][/quote]
Nah dude, everyone who has worthwhile meds won't sell. Anyways, if you say you want some pills where I live, it normally refers to thizz.