News

Parents Underestimate Teens Access to Prescription Drugs
December 1, 2008 - Center for Substance Abuse Research at the University of Maryland

Research Summary

Parents of teenagers overestimate how easy it is for teens to buy cigarettes, according to a recent national telephone survey. Thirty-nine percent of parents said that cigarettes are the easiest for teens to buy, compared to one-fourth of teens.

In contrast, parents underestimate how easy it is for teens to buy beer and prescription drugs. Fifteen percent of teens say that beer is the easiest for them to buy and 19 percent cite prescription drugs as the easiest. Only 9 percent and 8 percent, respectively, of parents said that these drugs were the easiest for teens to buy.

The prescription drug findings are particularly concerning given the recent research—reported in the media—showing that teens are using prescription drugs and that these drugs are can be bought on the internet without a prescription.

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