Abuse of prescription drugs has begun to rise, particularly among youths in rural or small communities, according to health organizations.

According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NHSDA) by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), prescription drug abuse occurs mostly among persons ages 12 to 25.

The most common prescription drugs abused by youths and young adults in 2001 were pain relievers such as codeine, methadone, meperidine (Demerol), Percocet, hydrocodone (Vicodin), and oxycodone (Oxycontin).

The NHSDA shows that the annual number of new users of pain relievers has been increasing since the mid-1980s, from about 400,000 initiates to 2 million in 2000. Other drugs being increasingly abused are stimulants, tranquilizers and sedatives.

Youths in rural or small metropolitan areas were more likely to have used prescription drugs non-medically.

Amber Young, who survived drug addiction and part of her life when she was also homeless, said young people experimenting with prescription drugs don’t have a clear concept of danger.

“I know I didn’t,” she said. “It starts with a little drink, and then it goes to a little joint, and from there on it can be anything. I eventually lost three of my teeth to the effects of street drugs on my metabolism.”

Young, 37, who works at the Gospel Rescue Mission, said young people who live at home need to be able to trust their parents enough to talk about drugs to which they are exposed. That means parents have to take responsibility for their behavior and not blow up when their children come to them with a problem.

“They have got to be able to tell their parents anything and not get in trouble,” she said. “You have got to be able to trust your parents enough to call them and say ‘I just took a 20-20 (amphetamine) and my head is spinning and I don’t know what to do.’”

Young said she admires and has made use of the Students Against Drunk Driving (SADD) program, which features a contract between parents and their children. Part of the contract states that if the young person is exposed to drugs and takes some of those drugs, they can call their parents to get a safe ride home without being criticized or verbally attacked. After a cooling-off period of about a day, parent and child sit down and discuss what happened.

Greater trust in the family means young people also feel safe bringing up other problems in their lives, Young said.

Jackie Luckey, a prevention associate at Area Prevention Resource Center, part of Green Country Behavioral Health Services Inc., said the increase in availability of prescription drugs is only part of the problem.

“As far as adults knowing what is going on, they’re raising their kids, but they don’t know their kids because they’re working two jobs,” he said. “Try to spend some quality time with your child.”

Luckey, who worked for 3 1/2 years as a resource officer in the public schools, said it can be difficult for teachers or parents to tell if a young person is abusing prescription drugs.