You, Iowa Teens and the Abuse of Drugs in Your Home
Surveys show that an alarming number of Iowa teens are intentionally using prescription drugs to get "high" — not for medical reasons. Mistakenly, many teens believe that prescription or over-the-counter drugs are “safe” ways to do it. They don’t know that abusing these drugs can alter their brain activity and lead to drug dependence or severe medical problems — and even death. Some teens also take prescription drugs with illicit drugs or alcohol, which only compounds the dangers.

As parents, you are the first line of defense to stop these dangerous trends. Unfortunately, while teens report that parental disapproval is a powerful way to keep them away from drugs, very few parents actually talk to them about it. It's time to change that in Iowa—starting with you. So take a dose of truth—become familiar with the problem. Talk to your children about prescription and Over-the-Counter (OTC) drugs. These talks are just as vital to their well-being as discussions about alcohol, tobacco or illegal drugs. When you use the resources on this Web site to help you, it’s easy to do. And it may save your own child from unintended consequences they may deal with for the rest of their lives.