Dr. Drew Pinsky, an addiction specialist who also appears on television as an expert commentator, says parents can look at various signs to see if their teens are becoming addicted to prescription drugs.

“The things to know to watch for are changes in sleep patterns, appetite their dress, [who] they hang out with,” he told the Huffington Post.

“The number one sort of sign that something's going on is a sudden drop in grades; there's something going on.”

He said among the common drugs teenagers take benzodiazepines (such as Xanax and Valium), psychostimulants (such as Adrerall and Ritalin) and opiates (Oxycontin, Vicodin and codeine).

Among the consequences are depression, manic episodes, suicidal thinking, intoxication and even death, he said.

Among the steps parents can take prevent abuse is to put drugs in a lock-box and liquor under lock and key as well.

Pinsky said parents shouldn’t attempt to resolve the problem on their own.

“Start at school. So many people think of the schools as the problem, but the school is your friend. They’re professionals with specialized training.”