Ramblings, Uncategorized

Teens Illegally Purchasing Prescription Drugs Online‏ #Sponsored

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Digital Citizens Alliance. All opinions expressed are 100% mine.

Were you aware that every day in the United States, an average 2,500 teenagers (ages 12 to 17) abuse a prescription pain reliever for the first time. Did you also know that prescription drug is the result of the largest percentage of deaths from drug overdosing.

Here is another disturbing fact that I found out at drugfreeworld:

“According to the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, teens who abuse prescription drugs are twice as likely to use alcohol, five times more likely to use marijuana, and twelve to twenty times more likely to use illegal street drugs such as heroin, Ecstasy and cocaine than teens who do not abuse prescription drugs.”

Shocking, right?

At twelve years old I was riding my bicycle to the ice cream store and staying up too late watching scary movies with my friends… oh how the times have changed. I look at my seven year old daughter and my 3 year old son and I find it unimaginable that something like this could happen to them some day. And I am sure those were the same exact thoughts of the thousands of parents with children abusing prescription drugs. So who are we to blame? The drug dealers? The irresponsible parent that leaves them in the medicine cabinet? Sadly the real place we should be concerned is the internet and the amount of ease it takes to purchase these drug without a prescription.

Please take a few moments to watch the following videos and discover more unsettling facts about the illegal purchase of prescription drugs online:

 “Digital Citizens spent several weeks investigating illegal drug trafficking online. We learned just how easy it is for anyone—even children—to order drugs online. One 15-year-old was able to order Percocet with no prescription and no parental supervision. Get the inside scoop from Executive Director Tom Galvin as he discusses what we learned and how you can get involved to help fight this growing threat.  Join Digital Citizens and share our report with your public officials in Washington to help them understand just how serious this problem is and why stopping it should be a priority for all of us.”

“Find out just how easy it was for a teenager working with Digital Citizens Alliance to buy illegal prescription drugs online without a prescription. What steps are you taking to protect your children from these rogue online pharmacies?”

                                           

I was dumbfounded after watching these videos and literally found myself in tears. I am overwhelmed with the amount of people involved that help support such a heinous crime. These companies are in fact illegally handing over prescription drugs and contributing to the thousands of deaths… all for money. I was raised to believe that drug dealers were scary looking people trying to lure kids off the playground… and once upon a time that was true. However, I now must raise my children with the realization that they should be cautious of people of the online pharmacies preying on them. The internet has become increasingly scary over the years and the leniency of what is aloud to be accessed just angers me to the core.

How Can You Get Involved?

About The Digital Citizens Alliance

Digital Citizens is a consumer-oriented coalition focused on educating the public and policy makers on the threats that consumers face on the Internet and the importance for Internet stakeholders – individuals, government and industry – to make the Web a safer place. Based in Washington, DC, the Digital Citizens Alliance counts among its supporters: private citizens, the health, pharmaceutical and creative industries as well as online safety experts and other communities focused on Internet safety.

Become an advocate today

Register and become a member today.

Speak Up

Here is what Digital Citizens Alliance has to say:

“We want to keep our friends and family safe – and that includes when we are online.  Unfortunately, there are bad actors, many of them overseas, who don’t care about our well-being.  When you become an advocate, you pronounce that you won’t be a victim – and you help others do the same.”

“Join us at the Digital Citizens Alliance and make a difference. It’s as simple as giving us your email address – which we will never share with others. Or if you have a story to tell about your own online experiences, we’d love to hear it and be able to share it with others. We’re in this together, so welcome to the community!”

From one mother to another, please take the initiative to protect your child and become and advocate today!

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