Story Published:
Nov 12, 2008 at 8:04 PM EDT
Story Updated:
Nov 12, 2008 at 8:04 PM EDT
NORTH AUGUSTA, Ga. - A 13-year-old Paul Knox Middle School student has been accused of giving out prescription drugs to other students.
North Augusta Public Safety tells NBC Augusta 26 News the girl took Xanax from her stepfather. Officers said she then took the pills to school in a jewelry box and gave them to as many as six other students last Thursday.
One of the students who took the Xanax had to be taken to the hospital. She is also 13.
Prescription drug abuse is not uncommon and it’s on the rise.
“Prescription drugs are the number one abused drugs in this day and age,” Mark Lopez said.
He is a doctor at MCGHealth's emergency department. Lopez said prescription drug abuse is a serious and growing problem, even with kids.
“It's cause it's relatively available. Your parents have it your siblings have it your grandmother has it,” Lopez said.
Drugs from home can be seen as better than those off the streets.
“The kid necessarily feels that it's easy to get and safe,” Lopez said.
So the abuse of the prescription drug Xanax at Paul Knox Middle School is not surprising to Lopez. He said that is often when addictions start.
“You've just taken a drug that's a gateway drug so the likelihood that they're going to try something else is pretty high,” Lopez said.
Xanax is a sedative that is usually prescribed to people with anxiety disorders. For Xanax abuse Lopez said parents should look for symptoms similar to being drunk, like slurred speech, sleepiness and trouble walking.
He says drugs like Xanax are usually just the start.
“Once they've tried one medication that's made them feel goofy and happy they're likely to try something else,” Lopez said.
They are some seriously dangerous drugs that can easily turn deadly.
“They all have bad, bad side effects and bad side effects could risk their lives in the future,” he said.
The two girls involved in the Paul Knox Middle School incident will both likely be charged, according to investigators. They also say the investigation is still open and all the pills have not been accounted for.
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