There is a drug epidemic with suburban teens, much of it surrounding around heroin, that is so prominent, yet so unspoken. And much of it begins with the simple use of prescription medications.  The Center for Disease Control said  the rate of deadly heroin overdoses nearly quadrupled between 2002 and 2013.

According to Narconon, "One of the last known statistics indicates that over 11 million kids were being put on anti-depressants alone since 2003. Additional information indicates that the total number of legal prescriptions given out per year in every age group has gone up about 39% since then. These are prescriptions for all types of drugs including opioid painkillers, depressant drugs and prescription stimulants."

Highly educated and more affluent households are more likely to have access to prescription medications, including drugs that are frequently abused such as opioids and stimulants.

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the number of teenagers between the ages of 12 and 17 introduced to heroin has grown by 80 percent since 2002. The number of heroin-related deaths has also more than doubled among young adults. The vast majority - close to 90 percent - of teen heroin addicts are white, and many reside in the safe haven of the suburbs.

Marijuana is one of the easiest drug to come by, as it has been legalized in more than 17 states for medicinal purposes. Narconon states, " Other drugs that suburban teens can score included synthetic drugs, and illicit substances like heroin, ecstasy, and even cocaine.  In total, 17% of high school kids use drugs during the school day. And, 86% of high school kids were fully aware of other kids abusing drugs during the school day."

What starts out with experimenting with alcohol, marijuana and other easy to access drugs, soon progresses to more aggressive drugs when teenagers start to look for a stronger, more powerful high and turn to drugs like heroin. Heroin is popular in large part because it is cheap. While an 80-milligram OxyContin costs between $60 to $100 a pill on the black market, heroin costs $45 to $60 for a multiple-dose supply. 

The  power of social media contributes to this phenomenon as peers watch each other partying and are tempted to do the same. 

The doctors at The Rubino OB/GYN Group share these concerns of drug use and abuse, with many of us witnessing it first hand.

It is very important to talk to your kids about the dangers of drug use. A fantastic resource for you and your children is DrugFree.org.