Recently, parents of students at Westfield High in Fairfax County, Virginia, were treated to a special workshop on drug abuse awareness. Community leaders, school administrators, and police officials helped teach parents about different aspects of the teenage drug culture that they should watch out for. The speakers emphasized the unique trends among different types of drugs and controlled substances. They also warned parents about drugs that may be in their medicine cabinets at home, and even “pharm parties” that take place among teens. According to Leslie Churn, a substance abuse counselor at the high school:

“You get into it with a handful of pills, but they have synergistic effects, so there’s a huge risk of overdose. Teens will tell parents they’re at a friend’s house and then they’ll have an 18-year-old rent a hotel room and they’ll party all night.”

Community workshops like this do a great job of keeping parents in the know when it comes to teen drug abuse. Make sure you stay educated on the most recent trends and keep tabs on your own medicine cabinet.