National Family Partnership Designates October 27th 'Lock Your...( First Monday of Red Ribbon Week W...),Health

First Monday of Red Ribbon Week Will Educate Parents about Prescription Drug Abuse

MIAMI, Oct. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Family Partnership (NFP) has designated Monday, October 27th as the first "Lock Your Meds" Day, kicking off the group's 23rd annual Red Ribbon Week from October 27-31, to raise awareness and provide parents with action steps to prevent children's prescription drug abuse.

Statistics show that over 3 million teens in the United States abuse prescription drugs each year. More startling, 70 percent of children who abuse prescription drugs admit to getting them from friends and family, often taken from the home medicine cabinet without that person's knowledge.

For this reason, the National Family Partnership, with support from Alpharma Pharmaceuticals Inc., is dedicating the first Monday of its Red Ribbon Week, the oldest and largest drug abuse prevention program in the United States, towards stemming the growing problem of prescription drug abuse, particularly among teens and children.

"The National Family Partnership has designated 'Lock Your Meds' Day because we realize the impact that prescription drug abuse is having on families," said Peggy Sapp, executive director of National Family Partnership. "Parents hold the key to their children's drug-free future, and it is our hope that day not only brings more awareness to the problem but also enables greater family involvement to help to curb this dangerous trend."

The first "Lock Your Meds" Day urges parents to take the following steps to prevent teen prescription drug abuse:

-- Lock your prescription medication and prevent abuse or misuse by

securing the medication in your home.

-- Take inventory of your current medications and periodically check that

nothing is missing.

-- Educate yourself and your children about the most commonly abused types

of prescription medications and communicate the dan
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