A new report from the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital at the University of Michigan takes a look at teens and opioid abuse, finding the abuse often begins with prescriptions. University of Michigan researcher Sarah Clark says doctors often prescribe too many pills, which go sitting in a medicine cabinet where a teen finds them.
“Everybody’s talking about opioid misuse and abuse as a national problem,” Clark said. “This is one of the ways that teens get easy access to those kinds of medications.”
Clark says providers should have conversations with parents about getting rid of leftover medications. Many Michigan State Police posts have a prescription drop-off box in their lobby. Police and the Drug Enforcement Agency also hold prescription drop-off events multiple times a year.
