Dr. Drew On Teen Prescription Drug Abuse

If you have teenagers, you may have established a system to keep them out of your liquor cabinet or wine fridge. But experts are now saying you should lock up something else — your medicine cabinet.

The painkillers you take when your back pain flares up? It’s no secret that teens are popping those for fun. The Xanax you take to calm down before a long plane ride? They’re into that too. And let’s not forget the Ritalin your younger child with ADHD takes, because that’s another popular one among the adolescent and college set.

While prescription drug abuse isn’t new, it’s on the rise. One in every five teens were using them in 2009, then one in every four teens were in 2010, according Dr. Drew and Smart Moves, Smart Choices, an awareness initiative.