Teens and opioids: Time for an open conversation

National surveys have found that teens today are much less likely to use alcohol and drugs compared to their parents’ generation. In fact, the proportion of high school seniors who chose not to use alcohol, tobacco, marijuana or other drugs has increased from 3 percent to 25 percent in the last thirty years. This remarkable good news is overshadowed by the growing number of teens who are daily marijuana users and the recent increase in opioid-related deaths among young people. It is important to understand the roots of this discrepancy in order to address it. Statistics show that between 2014 and 2015, the rates of drug overdoses — mainly due to opioids — increased by 19 percent in teens, and are now double what they were in 1999, proving that young people are an important part of the equation. We know that most adults with addiction problems started using when they were teens and those with opioid use disorders are no exception. As a pediatrician and adolescent health specialist, I see this as both a challenge and an opportunity. The facts about opioids Opioids are a class of drugs that includes pain medicines like morphine, codeine and oxycodone, as well as illicit drugs like heroin. All opioids act directly on pain receptors in the brain and body, and can also affect autonomic functions like breathing and heart rate. In high doses, opioids give users a sense of well-being or euphoria. When used as prescribed, opioids are very effective in treating pain. However, when...
Source: Thrive, Children's Hospital Boston - Category: Pediatrics Authors: Tags: Ask the Expert Parenting Teen Health Adolescent Substance Abuse Program Source Type: news