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Putnam CTC Observes National Medicine Abuse Awareness Month

PUTNAM, N.Y. -- Putnam CTC (Communities That Care) is observing National Medicine Abuse Awareness Month, an effort to prevent children from using prescription drugs.

A new study of statins show that more prescriptions could save a significant number of lives over the next 10 years.

A new study of statins show that more prescriptions could save a significant number of lives over the next 10 years.

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Each generation of kids looks for new ways to get high, according to as press release. Recent trends indicate they are increasingly turning to prescription (Rx) or over-the-counter medicines, according to as press release. 

Teens report getting many of these drugs from home medicine cabinets and mistakenly believe abusing them is safer than other drugs, according to as press release. 

According to surveys from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, 20 percent of teens say they have taken a prescription drug without having a prescription for it themselves, and 5 percent report abusing cough medicine to get high. 

The Putnam CTC urges parents to talk to teens about prescription and over-the-counter medicine abuse,. Teens who learn about the risks of drugs from their parents are 50 percent less likely to use drugs, according to as press release. 

In addition, parents should safeguard medicine cabinets, know what is in there and how much and discard medicines that are no longer in use, according to as press release. 

For more information, go to www.preventrxabuse.org/ or check out www.putnamncadd.org/blog.

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