Preventing Opioid Misuse among High School Student-Athletes: A Playbook for Parents, Caregivers, and Educators

Encourage the student-athlete to rest and heal.

Getting back on to the field or court quickly after an injury shouldn’t be the student-athletes’ top priority. Setting a realistic timeline for recovery, and getting the proper amount of rest is crucial and can also remove any temptation to rely on painkillers for quick pain relief. For more information, go to:

• “Preventing Prescription Opioid Misuse Among Student Athletes,” Massachusetts Department of Public Health Bureau of Substance Abuse Services.
• “Injury Management: A Key Component of Prescription Opioid Misuse Prevention,” Massachusetts Department of Public Health Bureau of Substance Abuse Services.

 Know the signs of opioid misuse.

Recognizing the signs of opioid misuse early on can help keep the problem from spiraling out of control. See the resources below:

• “What if I Think My Child is Using Drugs,” Growing Up Drug-Free, Drug Enforcement Administration.
   

• “Signs of Drug Use,” Drug Enforcement Administration.
   

• “Know the Signs,” Operation Prevention, Discovery Education and Drug Enforcement Administration.

Monitor the use of opioid medications.

If your child is prescribed prescription opioids, make sure you discuss dosage with the doctor, and closely monitor usage. More information:

• “Should Your Teen Take that Opioid Prescription?” Drug Enforcement Administration.

• “Giving Opioid Prescription Pain Medicine: What Parents Need to Know,” Kids Health from Nemours.
• "Keep the Ball in Your Court. Know the Risks." Drug Enforcement Administration.

Properly dispose of opioid medications.

Removing unused or expired prescription medicine from the home greatly reduces the chances they’ll be misused. Check out the resources below about National Prescription Drug Take Back Day and proper drug disposal.

• DEA Take Back Day, Drug Enforcement Administration.
   

• “How to Properly Dispose of Your Unused Medicines,” Drug Enforcement Administration.
   

• “Quiz: Proper Drug Disposal,” Drug Enforcement Administration.

Consider alternative pain therapies.

You should always consider non-prescription-based options for treating pain. See more information below.

• “Other Options for Treating Pain,” Drug Enforcement Administration.
   

• “Are There Any Alternatives When A Physician Offers My Child Opioids for Pain?” Partnership for Drug-Free Kids.
   

• "You Can Manage Your Chronic Pain to Live a Good Life." Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). 
   

• “Pain: Considering Complementary Approaches,” U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.