Teenagers say they can now get their hands on prescription drugs more easily than beer, and many say that marijuana is more popular than cigarettes, according to a new survey scheduled to be released today.

In fact, a third of teens who say they know abusers of Vicodin and other prescription drugs say it's as easy as opening up Mom and Dad's medicine cabinet, according to the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University. CASA says its survey included 1,002 boys and girls ages 12 to 17.

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One-third of the teens surveyed say abusers of Vicodin and other prescription drugs get them from their parent's medicine cabinet.

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"It is inexcusable that so many parents fail to appropriately monitor their children," said Joseph A. Califano Jr., CASA's chairman and former U.S. secretary of Health, Education and Welfare, about the findings.

Here are some more highlights from the study:

• Almost half of 12- to 17-year-olds said they leave their house on school nights to hang out with friends.

• Of those who come home after 8 p.m., 29 percent said drinking alcohol, smoking marijuana or other drug use occurs.

• Of those who return home after 10 p.m., 50 percent said alcohol, marijuana or other drugs were involved.

• Only 14 percent of the 312 parents surveyed say their teens usually leave the house on school nights.

• For the first time since teens were surveyed about prescription drugs four years ago, teens said prescription drugs were easier to buy than beer (19 percent vs. 15 percent). Marijuana is even easier, with 23 percent of teens saying it's the easiest illegal substance to buy.

• Half of 16- and 17-year-olds said smoking marijuana is more common than cigarettes in their age group.

• One-third of teens who drink alcohol say they like the taste of alcohol. Of those, almost a third said they like mixing liquor with cola or something sweet. Thirteen percent said they drink liquor straight.

Dr. Erik Fisher, an Atlanta psychologist and author of "The Art of Empowered Parenting," and Kelley Mautz, planning and evaluation manager of the Gwinnett Coalition for Health and Human Services, offer these tips to parents:

• Set limits. There's no reason kids should be going out on a school night if it's not for an organized activity such as sports, drama or chess club. As a parent, make a point of spending time yourself with your kids. Go bowling, play pingpong, play Monopoly.

• Know what's in your medicine cabinet and talk to your kids about the dangers of prescription drugs. If you are taking medication, talk to your kids about why you are taking the medication.

• Get to know your child's friends. Invite them over to dinner. Make your house the hangout house to better monitor their activities.

• Supervise the kids in the basement. Check on them unannounced. And if that's where you keep alcoholic beverages, make sure you know what's there. Talk to your kids about the hazards of drinking and getting in a car.

• Help your child avoid boredom, and find ways to help them find healthy ways to cope with stress. Encourage exercise, eating well and reading a good book.

EASIEST TO BUY

25 percent said cigarettes.

23 percent said marijuana.

19 percent said prescription drugs.

15 percent said beer.

7 percent said all the same.

11 percent said they don't know.

Source: The 13th annual survey conducted by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University