February 2009

Page 1

Oswego High School’s Student Voice

Volume 12 Number 4

‘Pharm Parties’ Deadly & Dangerous

T

o buy drugs like marijuana and cocaine, you need cash and a dealer. But a growing number of teens are finding it easier and cheaper to obtain drugs simply by raiding their own medicine cabinets at home. A trend among teen drug abusers is what’s known as “pharm” parties. At a pharm party, teens bring different pills they have in their medicine cabinets and then toss them into a bowl with everyone else’s pills. Then they reach in and grab a couple of pills. Though the results could be deadly, teens don’t care because all they are interested in is a high. The act is reckless and the results can be horrific, but of course, that is the point of a pharm party--to take a risk for the thrill of getting high. It’s a trend with its own slang language. It’s easy for teens to understand and it also confuses parents and teachers. When teens are looking for pills, it’s called “pharming,” which is often done in their own medicine cabinets. A bowl of random pills can be referred to as “trail mix” and party-goers “graze” on pills when they want to feel a high. Teens attend pharm parties sometimes and don’t even realize it. They just swap a bunch of pills with friends and take them. In a survey through Drug-Free America, nearly one in five teens reported trying prescription medications to get high. (The survey included more than 7,300 junior high and high school students.) The number of available prescription drugs is too great for one to keep track of, especially with the astronomical number of new drugs introduced each year. In another survey by Drug- Free America, 4.5 million American teens stated they have taken multiple pills at one time. The increasing trend of pharming can lead to serious complications, even death. Teens are now even swapping their pharmaceutical drugs in schools by bringing in Ziploc bags and swapping with a friend. Although prescription drug use is not just emerging, parents have yet to realize the deadly combinations that these drugs offer. Some parents are naive and believe that this is not happening. Then there are the irresponsible ones who do know, yet do not see it as a problem because the drugs being taken by their children are not illegal drugs. At Oswego High School, students are not only attending pharm parties, but also taking these prescription drugs by themselves just to obtain a high. “I tried Vicodin one time, I liked all the other prescription drugs I had used previously, so I figured why not,” stated junior Nick Farella. Another OHS student who wished to remain anonymous stated, “I’ve tried Xanax; it’s usually used as an anti-depressant but I just took it to get high.” Although pharm parties are currently not extremely popular, with the rising use of prescription drugs, the attendance and frequency of these parties could rise. The OHS Farnham drug and alcohol counselor, Penny Morley, stated, “I

February 2009

Pill Pop’n Story and Photo Illustration by Caitlin sawyer

know there are students all over the county involved in pharm parties. However, I’m not sure of the number of students partaking in pharming in Oswego.” Although ‘pharming’ is not a widespread trend in all counties of New York, it is growing popularity may lead to ‘pharm’ parties. The results of pharming could lead to many health problems including seizures, respiratory depression, and cardiovascular failure. “It’s not about telling on your friends, it’s about potentially saving your friend’s life,” stated Morley. Parents should keep track of their monthly medications and others that may be lying around in their medicine cabinets. Disposing of unneeded prescriptions can make it harder for teens to obtain them. Karen CarpenterPalumbo the Commissioner of New York State Office of Alcohol and Substance Abuse stated, “We need to implement strong safeguards in the fight against prescription drug abuse. I would encourage families to discuss the issue of prescription drug abuse and not assume that it can never happen in their home. Prevention is the first prescription to a healthy New York.” The state is trying to prevent drug abuse, and with the help of parents, it can be avoided.


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.