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The Internet, Social Media, Drugs, and Teens

Many teens obtain prescription drugs from their family or

friends. Since prescription drugs are widely available in the
home, teens often do not have to go far to find ways to

get high. Other teens turn to the internet and social media
for prescription drugs; the internet also plays a big role in

providing information and advice to teens.

HERE ARE A FEW THINGS TO CONSIDER

Your teen probably knows a lot more about the internet than you do. It’s never too
late for parents to jump in and get acquainted with various websites, communication
methods, networking systems, and the lingo teens use to fly under parents’ radars.
Some pharmacies operating on the internet are legal, and some are not. In fact,
according to the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP), 20 new illegal
pharmacies appear on the web each day. Some of the legal internet pharmacies have
voluntarily sought certification as “Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites” (VIPPS )
®
from NABP. “Rogue” pharmacies pretend to be authentic by operating websites that
advertise powerful drugs without a prescription or with the “approval” of a “doctor”
working for the drug trafficking network. Teens have access to these websites and
are exposed to offers of prescription drugs through e-mail spam or pop-ups. Parents
should be aware of which sites their teens are visiting and should examine credit card
and bank statements that may indicate drug purchases.

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18 — NARCOTIC OFFICERS MAGAZINE™ FEBRUARY 2019