Medford, Ore. – New numbers reveal the drug overdose death rate among teens has doubled in Oregon, just in the last 10 years. Everything from prescription pills to hard substances like heroin, the report finds teens are abusing drugs more than ever before.
Fatal drug overdoses actually surpassed car accidents as the number one killer of teens in 2013. Since 2005, the number of teens who have died because of a drug overdose has doubled. The rate reported was 6.5 deaths per 100,000 youths.
In Jackson county, drug use among teens is actually higher than the state numbers. Doug Gould, the Executive Director of Foundations for Recovery said it’s almost always fueled by family or friends.
“There’s a connection,” Gould said.”‘I don’t feel like I feel when I’m using it, I feel differently, I’m accepted,’ and peer pressure has a lot to do with addiction.”
Oregon is not alone in this trend; 18 states have seen their teen overdose rates double, including California. Gould suggests the best thing you can do is talk to your teens about drugs. Research has found that most families who have a conversation about drugs have kids who don’t use them.
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