Georgia “Generation Rx” Campaign Aimed at Curbing Teen Prescription Drug Abuse

Georgia launched a campaign this week, “Generation Rx,” aimed at preventing prescription drug abuse in teens and young adults.

The campaign is funded through a grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, according to the Associated Press. It is focused on 12- to 25-year-olds. The campaign includes education and awareness about the dangers of prescription drug abuse, and promotes Georgia’s Prescription Drug Monitoring Program. It also features education about how to properly dispose of unused and expired medications, and collaboration with law enforcement to eliminate improper prescribing practices.

In a statement, Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities Commissioner Frank Berry said, “The abuse of prescription drugs by youth in Georgia and across the country has grown substantially since the 1990s. Every day, 2,500 youth aged 12 to 17 abuse a prescription pain reliever for the first time, and nearly 20 percent of teens report abusing medications that were not prescribed to them.”