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Politics & Government

Dedham Panel: Prescription Drugs a Danger for Teens

Panelists encouraged parents to become more involved.

As part of the sponsored National Night Out, the hosted panel discussion on prescription drug awareness.

Parents need to be aware of the types of drugs being stored in their homes, and which ones could be abused, panelists said.

"The kids haven’t changed just the drugs [over time]," said officer Ron Pucci, the school resource officer.

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Leanne Jasset, a pharmacist at , cautioned people to be aware of what is in their medicine cabinets and they would be surprised by how often people abuse cough medicine.

"It is legal and inexpensive," said Jasset, who also serves on the Board of Health. Jasset added that some kind of drug high can be achieved after drinking three or four bottles. 

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She also warned of weight loss medication that cause symptoms as light as dizziness to as severe as a heart attack.

A very popular drug among teens is Ritalin, also called uppers, bennies or vitamin R, Jasset said.  

She warned parents not to be over cautious, because the drugs "are very effective when used the way they are prescribed."

Jasset said people should not store their medication in the bathroom medicine cabinet because of the humidity level.

Pucci added that a lot of parents take pain relievers at the onset of pain before they consider dehydration or hunger as the cause. Children see this, he explains, and conclude that a quick instant fix is the norm.

Pucci said he believes the decriminalization of marijuana in Massachusetts has tied the police’s hand to a certain extent.

"We were never going after the 50-year-old guy with half a joint in his back pocket,” he explained.

He added that marijuana is still considered a gateway drug to harder substances like cocaine and heroin.   

Pucci said teens in seventh and eighth grade now smoking marijuana on a daily basis could get bored, and move onto harder drugs - but parents play a major role in preventing drug abuse.

"It can’t be the schools and it can’t be the police," he said. "The only time I will get a child involved in the court [system] is to help them out."

Drug abuse can lead to other crimes, panelists said. Norfolk County Task Force detective Kevin Mahoney said most break-ins are drug related, whether they are stealing drugs or stealing to pay for them.   

He said they have been many instances when a student-athlete has become addicted after an injury and spiraled down.

"[Drug abuse effects] all walks of life, all socio-economic backgrounds,” Mahoney said.

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