1. “Pharm” Parties Latiise Wilkins CAS 100A Effective Speech
Penn State Hazleton
10/28/2011

2. Overview What are Pharm Parties?
What type of crowd do Pharm Parties target?
The dangers of Pharm Parties.

3. What are Pharm Parties?
A party where prescription drugs are readily available in a dangerous mixture.
According to Hindustan Times, “It’s the cheapest option of throwing a bash where the snack bowl includes a mix of prescription drugs from Alprazolam to Oxycontin to Viagra, and most of them come right from a household medicine cabinet (pharming)”.
[Hindustan Times]

4. What are Pharm Parties Cont.’
According to Donna Leinwand, the term “Pharm” is short for pharmaceuticals, usually including drugs such as Xanax, a strong tranquilizer and powerful pain killers like Oxycontin, or Codine. Often times mind altering psychotropic drugs like Zoloft, and Prozac, are all consumed together at these pharmaceutical cocktail parties.
Pharm party goers often refer to this potentially lethal concoction as "trail mix".

5. Who’s the Target?
According to Hindustan Times, “After raves, pharm parties are the latest rage among the teenage youth”.
Pharm Parties tend to target the teenagers because its easy to organize, all they need is a heavy mix of pharmaceuticals, and each time they consume these drugs, they experience a different high; which encourages teens to want to have these parties even more.
[Hindustan Times]

6. “Trail Mix”
The "trail mix" is usually served up in large bowls or baggies and handed out to guests in the same fashion as a hostess serves snacks and drinks at a cocktail party. [

7. Fact:
Carol Falkowski, the director of research communications for the Hazelden Foundation states, “young abusers of prescription drugs have begun using the Internet to share "recipes" for getting high. Some websites are so simplistic, that they refer to pills by color, rather than their brand names, content or potency. [

8. The Dangers of Pharm Parties:
For a lot of teens, the most common misconception about pharmaceuticals is that they are less dangerous because they are prescribed by a doctor.(USA Today)
Falkowski states, “Pharm parties are simply everyone pooling whatever pills they have together and having a good time on a Saturday night”.
Yet teens are unaware of the consequences of mixing stimulants such as, Ritalin or Adderall, with painkillers such as Vicodin or OxyContin, or with Tranquilizers that help with sleep/ anxiety disorders.

9. Dangers of Pharm Parties Cont.’:
According to Deborah Knight, “these drugs are harmful to take alone; But combined together with alcohol… the outcome can be fatal”.
By taking a mixture of these drugs, one person may experience a high that has minimal effect to their body, while another person can be sedated by the exact same drugs.
Some common side effects of consuming pills at pharm parties are: Memory loss, Anaphylactic Reactions (a serious allergic reaction that may lead to death), Dehydration, and even Death.

10. Short Clip:

11. Recap: I’ve explained to you what “Pharm” Parties are.
I’ve told you that pharm parties target the youth.
And I’ve explained to you the dangers/ consequences of pharm parties.

12. Concluding Thoughts:
Popping prescription pills has become more popular and a more socially acceptable way of getting high than taking street drugs. Usually teenagers are completely unaware of the consequences, but if they are they don't care about it… What started off as a “good time” can lead to a fatal death, if these drugs are taken in the wrong concoction.

13. Q & A
Latiise Wilkins

14. References: ‘Pharm Parties’. http://ovidsp.tx.ovid.com/sp
“All About Pharm Parties”. Hindustan Times.
“Pharm Party”.
Prescription Drugs Find a place in Teen Culture. Google.com/imageshttp:// pharm-drugs_x.htm
Youtube.com
Google.com/images