Whatcom families help their kids avoid abusing prescription drugs.

Have open, honest conversations with your kids about prescription drugs and the risks that come with sharing or abusing them. Be extra careful with pain management drugs. Even prescriptions for seemingly minor issues (like many dental procedures) can easily be abused, so be sure to monitor them. If you have youth in your home or visiting your house (babysitters, friends, visiting relatives, etc.) it’s important to keep your prescriptions under lock and key.

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Whatcom youth are

four times less likely to abuse prescription drugs

when they have parents who feel it would be very wrong to misuse them.

Whatcom youth are

six times less likely to abuse other people’s prescriptions

when they have parents who feel it would be very wrong to use them.

Most Whatcom parents

have recently talked to their kids about the risks of misusing prescription drugs.

Nearly all Whatcom parents

believe it would be wrong for their child to misuse prescription drugs.

How would a prescribed drug
be dangerous?

Even when recommended by a physician, prescription medication can come with risks.

Sharing or taking medication in nonmedical ways can be both illegal and extremely dangerous, even fatal. For example, abuse of opioids can lead to abuse of drugs such as heroin. Prescription drugs should be used only by the people for whom they are prescribed.

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