The Partnership for a Drug-Free America

Check out the resources they are talking about at http://www.timetotalk.org and http://www.drugfree.org/timetoact!

Check out the list of resources that the Partnership has to help parents, teens and kids!

While many people still don't see non-medical use of prescription drugs as a problem, Misty Fetko can tell you just how serious a problem it is. On the morning of July 16, 2003, two days before her son Carl was supposed to leave for college she found him unconscious and not breathing. As an emergency room nurse, Misty immediately jumped into action trying CPR to save her son's life - but there was nothing she could do. Carl had died of a lethal mix of Fentanyl, a prescribed narcotic- marijuana, and over-the-counter cough syrup. Unfortunately, Carl's story was not an anomaly because our research shows that 1 in 5 teens have abused prescription drugs…and most don't understand the risks. More than half of teens who try medication without a prescription believe it's safer than street drugs, and don't see anything wrong with using them once in a while. They are dangerously mistaken. From 1995 to 2004, the number of deaths involving prescription drugs increased 160 percent. By 2004, deaths from abuse of prescription painkillers outnumbered total deaths involving both heroin and cocaine. Something must be done - please act now and support our campaign to stop medicine abuse. The Partnership for Drug-Free America was the first organization to identify this alarming trend in prescription and over-the-counter cold and cough medicine abuse. With a proven track record in reducing the use of illegal drugs, we are acting quickly to curb the illicit use of prescription drugs. Between 1998 and 2001, teen use of the club drug Ecstasy jumped 71%, peaking in 2001. The Partnership began a public education campaign about the dangers of Ecstasy in late 2000, and by 2003, use had dropped and teen's perception of the risks of Ecstasy increased over 20%. We have succeeded in the past and we can succeed again - but not without your help. We understand these are challenging economic times, and we appreciate your donation more than ever. We cannot wait to act on this threat to our nation's teens. Your contribution of $15, $25, or even $50 will enable us to continue our work combating prescription drug abuse so that more parents aren't confronted with the death of their child like Misty was. Please support our efforts to stop prescription drug abuse - make a charitable gift at www.drugfree.org/donate