Following my two-part series on prescription drug abuse (which can be found in last week’s Thursday and Friday editions of The Evening Sun), I got to thinking on the common misconception that such drugs – thanks to their pill form – are considered “safe” by so many people, particularly children and teenagers.

Could that be, then, the reason this “epidemic of epic proportions,” as Police Chief Joe Angelino called it, is so out of control? Add to that the fact that somebody (trust me, I’m not dumb enough to go anywhere near that one yet) is making a fortune off the illegal sale and distribution of these prescribed pain relievers and I think you’ll see where I’m going with this.

I’m not only disgusted and angry (now I sound like a ‘30 Seconds’ caller), but I have some serious doubts as to why we’re priming today’s kids for a life addicted to pills, prescription or otherwise. Case in point? The controversial medical condition that is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and the fact that we very well may be drugging our kids senseless for no other reason than this ... they’re acting like kids.

If this is the case, well, I’m doubly disgusted.

Regardless, one has to wonder if the behavior displayed by today’s youth is really all that remarkable. And considering my own personal penchant for wildly predictable (if you were a normal, everyday kid), out-of-control activity as a child ... I’d have to say no.