This news is very disappointing. The 19th Annual Partnership Attitude Tracking Study published by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America shows a 12 percent decline since 2005 in frequent discussions about drugs and alcohol. According to the report:

Only half of parents, 54 percent, reported thoroughly discussing the use of drugs like heroin, cocaine and crack with their kids. Even more concerning is that a mere 36 percent of parents reported having in-depth conversations about abuse of prescription medications and only 33 percent have thoroughly discussed abuse of OTC cough and cold medicines with their teens. More alarming is the misperception among many parents that the abuse of prescription (Rx) and over-the-counter (OTC) medications is safer than the use of illegal drugs.

Parents, we need to talk to our kids! With one in 10 teens reporting that they have abused cough medicine to get high, there is no room for a decline in parental discussions. Medicine abuse of any kind can be very dangerous and it is up to you to make sure your child knows the facts. Please don’t wait to talk to your kids; there is nothing more important than their health and safety.