Pills Use By Teens And Young Adults In Our Community Needs To Be More Of A Discussion

Across the country, there is a serious problem with young people and pills especially right here in Rochester, NY. I don’t know if you are aware of how serious and big pills are with kids and young adults in our community. And maybe I’m missing something here but I don’t see too many people talking about it which is an even bigger issue.

Drugs are everywhere and young people are not just smoking weed anymore they are popping pills. And the most concerning part is a lot of have an addiction but think otherwise because as they say “they are just pills”.

It’s time we adults start to have discussions with each other and with our younger people about the drugs they are using. The reason we all should be concerned is that it’s not just teens using the pills but kids as young as 8 and 9 years old.

This is critical because the pills have side effects that are life-altering and do irreversible damage to the brain. Pills like Adderall, Codeine, Promethazine, Oxycodone, and plenty of others all can cause heart issues, breathing problems, mood changes, and impaired thinking like confusion. Opioids can also cause teens to become sluggish and uncoordinated and make it difficult to focus or concentrate on a task.

Behavior in teens and young adults on opioids is also affected. Behaviors like disinterest in school, sports, and jobs. They aslo may become aggressive and angry and provoke conflicts with family and friends.

This seems like a lot because it is and if I may be real here this is a big contributor to the violence with young people in our community and schools. Look at the data and talk to your neighbors.

For the latest opioid data report in New York State click here.