Trudy Simpson, Trudy Simpson, Staff Reporter AN ESTIMATED 35,000 young people between 12 and 24 years old are addicted to drugs ranging from alcohol to cigarettes, the National Council on Drug Abuse (NCDA) is reporting.
Health officials worry that these numbers are likely to grow as Jamaican youth find new and easier ways to get 'high'.
According to the NCDA, some local teenagers are beginning to follow the footsteps of their American counterparts and abuse prescription drugs and over the counter medication.
These include certain kinds of cough medicines, sleeping pills and anti-anxiety medication or relaxants.
"It is a fact that our teens do abuse prescription drugs. Some cough mixtures contain precursors for making amphetamines," said Michael Tucker, executive director of the NCDA last Friday.
Medical sources describe amphetamine-type substances as a group of drugs that stimulate the central nervous system.
FUNDING FOR RESEARCH
Mr. Tucker said local data is scanty on how widespread the abuse of prescription drugs is, therefore the NCDA is seeking funding to do some research.
This will examine the use of prescription drugs, ecstasy and other metamphetamine drug usage.
"We are seeking funding to look at the school population, including the tertiary level to see what drugs are being used and to see if trends have changed," Mr. Tucker disclosed.
With the growth of the inexpensive methods of getting high such as the bidi and cough
medicine, the statistics may be higher than those reported in the last post primary National School Survey.
It showed that between 1987 and 1997, the number of students using tranquillisers grew from 3.8 per cent to 5.5 per cent.
In addition, 27 per cent of youth were smoking cigarettes and 71 per cent were using alcohol in 1997.
CULTURAL INFLUENCE
Regarding the new methods of getting high, Mr. Tucker said cultural influence from America can make Jamaican youth vulnerable.
The 17th annual national study of teen drug abuse from the Partnership for a Drug-Free America shows that approximately one in five American teenagers has abused a prescription painkiller to get high, and that one in 11 has abused over-the counter (OTC) products, like cough medicine.
