Article: Prescription-drug abuse growing problem

Gary Kendell warns parents that the source of a growing Iowa drug problem resides not only close to home, but within the home.

"People think the oxycodone in their medicine cabinet is safer than heroin, but they're not so different," said Kendell, the director of the Iowa Governor's Office of Drug Control Policy.

Prescription drugs have become the No. 1 source of drug abuse for Iowa youth ages 12 and 13.

Kendell recently spoke with the Telegraph Herald on state efforts to curb prescription-drug abuse.

Question: How pervasive is the problem of prescription drug abuse?

Answer: Nearly one in five teens nationwide report intentionally abusing prescription drugs, Kendell said.

"We've got a lot of ...

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