If you haven't heard of "Pharm Parties,"  read on! Jennifer Albrecht, a licensed addictions counselor at Avera Health in Sioux Falls, says Pharm Parties can be deadly!

"As far as what I've witnessed in my own practice, the Pharm parties come and go as far as their popularity," according to Jennifer.  "But, there definitely are parties where they take whatever pills that they can get from the medicine cabinets at their homes.  The pills are dumped into a bowl and passed around to the young people.  Unfortunately, they can take medications that might be stimulants and anti-depressants at the same time which is really hard on the system.  They can be taking medications that are not meant for consumption in a child.  There are a lot of dangers by doing that..  If they do end up seeking medical care a lot of times they don't ever know what they've consumed.  That can slow down the process for treatment."

Aside from Pharm Parties, Jennifer says the abuse of prescription drugs by the younger generation is far too common.

"Teens can get prescription pills from their own providers and from friends that can get them high.  They also take them from their family medicine cabinets, doctors and even get the the drugs off the street.  A lot of kids are selling them at school."

It's a fact!  Many parents don't think their teens are abusing prescription drugs until they get a call from the E.R. telling them that their kid has to have their stomach pumped.  Or, sometimes, has died.

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