New resource guide to tackle prescription drug abuse among youth

Jun 28 2013

To help tackle the serious problem of youth prescription drug abuse, high school teachers will have free access to a new resource guide, Rx for Understanding: Preventing Prescription Drug Abuse. The guide was developed by the National Education Association Health Information Network (NEA HIN) in partnership with RxSafetyMatters, a program of Purdue Pharma L.P.

This new comprehensive resource guide, is designed for educators to help students from grades 9-12 learn about the health problems caused by prescription drug abuse and misuse. The guide will be available in hard copy and online and will be released on July 1, 2013 during the National Education Association Annual Meeting and Representative Assembly, being held in Atlanta, Georgia

"The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that 20 percent of high school students have taken prescription drugs without a doctor's prescription at least once in their lives. Clearly, young people need to learn the importance of proper medication use so they can avoid putting themselves at risk of serious harm," said Jerald Newberry, Executive Director, NEA HIN. "This guide will help high school teachers build students' knowledge and skills so they can make healthy choices and use medications properly throughout their lives."

The resource guide offers educators the versatility of using its lessons in multiple subject areas or as a supplement to an existing curriculum about health and/or substance abuse.  Additionally, the resource guide provides educators with background information, lessons, teaching resources, a reproducible reflective student journal, national education standards alignment charts, and parent information.

"We are delighted to partner with the NEA HIN to make available to teachers a curriculum that will help them teach young people about the dangers of misusing and abusing medications," said Pamela Bennett, RN, BSN, Executive Director of Healthcare Alliance Development at Purdue. "This program is part of a larger effort by Purdue to work with educators, the medical community and law enforcement to help combat the abuse and diversion of medications."