Americans live in a heavily medicated culture. Whatever problem we have, there is a pill for it.

While this may be a recent development in American society, it is a world in which today’s teens have grown. Many teens and their peers have been taking drugs such as Ritalin since grade school and have never known a world where magazine ads pushing anti-depressants and commercials selling painkillers weren’t commonplace.

It’s not surprising then that recent research shows that as teen use of illicit drugs like marijuana, cocaine and speed have decreased; prescription drug abuse has continued to rise. A study by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America reports that 1 in 5 teens have abused prescription pain medication, stimulants, and tranquilizers.

One reason for this is that young people have easy access to prescription drugs. Many teens have been prescribed drugs to treat depression, ADD, pain from sports injuries, or sleep disorders and they share their pills with other teens.

Teens also find medications prescribed to family members within their own homes and can purchase medications online. A study by Columbia University found that 85 percent of online pharmacy Web sites do not require a prescription and there are no safeguards in place to regulate the age of someone ordering drugs online.

This surprisingly easy access to medicine also contributes to the way teens view prescription drug abuse. Since prescriptions are legal, available and are used by everyone from small children to the elderly, young people improperly view this type of escape as safer, less addictive, and more acceptable than using street drugs such as marijuana, heroin, and cocaine.

However, not all teens who abuse prescription drugs do it to get high.

Many teens take medications such as Ritalin and Adderall to allow them to concentrate more and study harder. Other teens take pills such as Xanax to treat anxiety problems and depression. To them, these are legitimate medications that are regulated by the FDA and are prescribed to millions of people, so they must be safe.

What many teens don’t realize is that prescription drugs are only safe when taken under medical supervision by the person to which they have been prescribed. Taking the wrong dose or combination of medications can be lethal.

It is important that parents take necessary measures to protect and educate teens regarding prescription drug abuse. Here are some tips from The National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign:

• Safeguard all drugs at home. Monitor quantities and control access. Take note of how many pills are in a bottle or pill packet, and keep track of refills. If your teen has been prescribed a drug, be sure you control the medication, and monitor dosages and refills.

• Set clear rules for teens about all drug use, including not sharing medicine and always following the medical provider’s advice and dosages.

• Be a good role model by following these same rules with your own medicines. If you misuse your prescription drugs, such as share them with your kids, or abuse them, your teen will take notice.

• Ask friends and family to safeguard their prescription drugs as well. Make sure your friends and relatives, especially grandparents, know about the risks, too, and encourage them to regularly monitor their own medicine cabinets.

• Talk to your teen about the dangers of abusing prescription and over-the-counter drugs. These are powerful drugs that, when abused, can be just as dangerous as street drugs. Tell your teen the risks far outweigh any “benefits.”