National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day

Photo Credit: Drug Free Homes

Consumers across the U.S. will take part to help prevent abuse and misuse of prescription drugs by disposing of any unneeded or unwanted medications during the sixth Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, Saturday, April 27, 2013. On this day, from 10 AM to 2 PM, consumers may safely dispose of unwanted medications at one of thousands of collection sites coordinated by DEA and provided by law enforcement agencies and community organizations in all 50 states and United States jurisdictions.

In addition, here are three tips, courtesy of The Partnership at DrugFree, to dispose your medicines – and protect your child from the dangers of prescription drugs:

• Participate in the Drug Enforcement Administration's National Take-Back Day on Saturday, April 27, 2013. Find a take-back location near you >
• Find a permanent take-back location near you. If you can’t make it to the National DEA Take-Back Day on April 27th, check out the American Medicine Chest Challenge, which has established a national directory of permanent prescription collection sites in 50 states across the country. Find the center  nearest you and dispose of your medicines today > 
• At-Home Prescription Medication Disposal: If you are unable to attend a drug take-back day or cannot get to a permanent prescription collection site, you can still dispose of your medicines. Because it is bad for our environment (the ground, water and air) to flush medicine down the toilet, try mixing unwanted prescription medicines with coffee grounds or kitty litter. This makes pills less appealing and less recognizable to anyone who can see your trash – including your kids. For more information on at-home disposal, check out this FDA guide.

tips courtesy of The Partnership at Drugfree.org

US Launches New Batch of Graphic Anti-Smoking Ads

Photo Credit: CDC

 

US health officials launched a hard-hitting offensive on Thursday aimed at slashing the numbers of smokers across the country, following the success of a similar campaign last year.

The new campaign encourages smokers to kick the habit with a series of advertisements spotlighting the wrenching personal stories of individuals battling smoking-related illnesses or diseases.

 

READ FEATURE ARTICLE: ABC 6 On Your Side

 

 

 

Health Conscious New Yorkers Cheer Benefits of Abstaining From Alcohol

Photo Credit: Know About Your Health

In a city like New York where it sometimes seems booze is the center of social life, these New Yorkers tried going dry — and found sobriety suited them.

For many folks living in the Metropolis like Lynn Settlow, a 40-year-old resident of Park Slope, social drinking had become part of her routine.

During a typical week, she would meet up with friends at a bar, or for dinner and wine, at least three times a week, she said.

 

READ FULL ARTICLE:  DNAinfo.com (Brooklyn edition)

Let Me See Some ID - New York State Crackdown on Fake IDs

Photo Credit: Operachic

New York is pioneering a reportedly “unforgeable” driver’s license. The new driver’s license will be engraved with a ghost image that floats in a transparent window. The state of Virginia introduced a similar card in 2009. This initiative is another step in the crackdown on illegal and undocumented aliens. Since driver’s licenses are a primary form of ID, reducing or eliminating forged licenses will significantly impact fraud, identity theft and illegal employment.

Read more on the article reported by BBC’s Jong Kelly entitled “why fakeID is an American rite of passage” on the impact of this initiative.

Building Bridges -- Free Fundraising Workshop!

The Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD), in partnership with the Nonprofit Help Desk (NPHD), will host a series of borough-wide panel discussions to help grassroots organizations strengthen their fundraising skills.  Panelists will share ideas on how organizations can be more strategic in their fundraising efforts and how they can be more appealing to funders.  The audience will have an opportunity to discuss and practice ideas learned through a group discussion breakout session.  At the end of the 2-hour event, participants will receive an extensive resource guide to use for reference in their future fundraising efforts.  

The sessions begin next week and run from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. as follows:

Tuesday, April 23^rd -- Bronx - Bronx Library Center, 310 East Kingsbridge Rd

Wednesday, April 24^th -- Brooklyn – St. Francis College, 180 Remsen St.

Thursday, April 25^th–- Manhattan – DYCD Offices, 156 William Street

Call 212-341-9566 or CLICK HERE to register.

This will be a most useful workshop for anyone interested in advancing their organization’s fundraising abilities. Thank you for helping us make it successful.

Information Source: NYC Department of Youth and Community Development (www.nyc.gov/dycd)

Help Make New York a Healthier City! Participate in a Take Care New York Listening Session

Do you represent a community organization, health care provider, business, labor group or faith based organization?

The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene invites you to come to anyone of our five borough-wide listening sessions and share your ideas and strategies for implementing the City’s new health plan, Take Care New York, to improve the health of your community. The 10 priority areas for improving the health of all New Yorkers include:

CLICK HERE to participate in one of five listening sessions, or call 347-396-7964.

Here are the participating locations with time and date:

MANHATTAN

Date: Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Time: 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM

(registration opens at 3:30 PM)

CUNY School of Public Health at Hunter College

2180 3rd Avenue, Main Auditorium

New York, NY 10035

BROOKLYN

Date: Monday, April 29, 2013

Time: 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM

(registration opens at 2:00 PM)

Brooklyn Borough Hall

209 Joralemon Street, Community Room

Brooklyn, NY 11201

BRONX

Date: Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Time: 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM

(registration opens at 4:00 PM)

Bronx Museum of the Arts

1040 Grand Concourse, 2nd Floor

Bronx, NY 10456

STATEN ISLAND

Date: Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Time: 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM

(registration opens at 3:30 PM)

Visiting Nurse Service of New York

1150 South Avenue, 3rd Floor

Staten Island, NY 10314

QUEENS

Date: Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Time: 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM

(registration opens at 2:30 PM)

Queens Borough Hall

150-55 Queens Boulevard, Room 213

Kew Gardens, NY 11424

To participate please click: Take Care NY Listening Sessions

Take Back 420: What Can You Do?

Logo Credit: Toke of the Town

Every year on April 20^th or 420, marijuana users and marijuana enthusiasts celebrate an unofficial marijuana holiday or sorts. In doing so, people celebrate and may use the drug on this day more than any others. Unfortunately for our youth, attention given to drugs in this way can send dangerous messages that encourage use and experimentation.

What can you do?

Create your own take back 420 initiative.  Instead of allowing marijuana enthusiasts to take all of the attention on this day; take the day back by creating events and activities that encourage positive behavior and spread alternative messages.

Check out the full “take back 420” article on our website

Click on the links below to see examples of “take back 420” initiatives.

·         Douglas County Coalition organizes “take back 420 day

·         Drug prevention organizations take back 420

·         North Coastal Prevention Coalitions organizes “420 remix”

Summary Written by Jared Anthony, Trainer, NYC Prevention Resource Center

Free Financial Coaching for Your Organization

Image Credit: Bayfield

The Community Service Society's Financial Coaching Corps (FCC) wants to partner with your organization! FCC places free financial coaches in NYC non-profit organizations. Our coaches can help your clients repair their credit, budget, save, and address specific financial dilemmas. Hosting an FCC coach will increase your capacity to help your clients succeed! For more information please contact Reyes Irizarry, at 212-614-5419 or ririzarry@cssny.org. We also provide free coaching at our site. Call Yvette Rennie, at 212-614-5558 or yrennie@cssny.org for details.

I-STOP database will halt prescription drug abuse in New York, lawmakers say

Image Credit: www.ipharmd.net

Lawmakers describe John “Nugget” Bland as the kind of criminal who won’t stand a chance once the state gets its new prescription database running.

 

Bland, who was arrested in Orange County last month, allegedly forged prescriptions and employed a stable of accomplices, driving them to pharmacies in Hudson County and New York City. He gave the accomplices cash to pay for the drugs and a small fee, prosecutors said, then sold the painkillers to street addicts.

 

FULL ARTICLE: NewsDay.com

 

 

President Obama calls for cigarette tax hike of 94 cents a pack

Photo Credit: Newsday

President's Obama's call for a 94-cent-a-pack hike on federal cigarette taxes to fund early childhood education programs is controversial.

Anti-smoking groups applaud the proposal, but some tax experts and tobacco companies are against it.  

The case for the tax. The tax is being presented as way to fund education and reduce smoking rates. It would raise roughly $78 billion over 10 years.

"The proposed tobacco tax increase would have substantial public health benefits, particularly for young Americans," the president's budget read. "Researchers have found that raising taxes on cigarettes significantly reduces consumption, with especially large effects on youth smoking."

READ FULL ARTICLE: MyFoxNYC.com

E-cigarettes primarily used to quit tobacco: study

Photo Credit: Kenzo Tribouillard, AFP/Getty Images

The findings just published show nearly 76 percent of respondents started using e-cigarettes as a complete alternative to smoking, while 22 per cent stated they had started using the devices for other reasons, such as stopping smoking (seven per cent), for health reasons (six per cent) and to avoid smoking restrictions (three per cent).

 

Eighty-six percent of those surveyed confirmed they had not smoked cigarettes for several weeks or months since using the e-cigarette, and that the amount they smoked had decreased dramatically.

 

 

FULL FEATURE ARTICLE: Chicago Tribute (Health section)

Peer Pressure Gone Viral, A Real Threat To Teens, Cites The New York Center For Living

Photo Credit: socialmediaandteenagers.wordpress.com

PRNewswire-- Excessive use of social media may dramatically increase risky behavior among young adults and teens, and may be directly linked to alcohol and drug abuse.

A recent UCLA study reported that 66% of teens that were being treated for substance abuse disorders said they had the desire to abuse drugs after visiting their friends' pages on social media sites.

While peer pressure has a direct effect on a teen's likelihood of using alcohol and drugs, the impact of social media is much more dramatic.

 

 

 

 

READ FULL ARTICLE: HeraldOnLine

UNIDOS' Washington Heights Inwood Youth Council gets down to business on underage drinking

Washington Heights Inwood Youth Council - Photo Credit: Robin Elisabeth Kilmer

 

A 2011 survey done by Monitoring the Future, an organization that studies teen behaviors, reported that nationwide, 70 percent of 12th graders had tried alcohol, and 40 percent of 12th grader responders admitted to having drunk at least once in a 30-day time frame.

A two-year study done by the local UNIDOS Coalition shows the problem is even more prevalent in Northern Manhattan.

The study, conducted between 2010 and 2012, reveals that teens here are outpacing their counterparts in other parts of the country.

Based on the study, 77 percent of 12^th graders in Northern Manhattan have tried alcohol, while 42 percent of responders admitted to drinking at least once in a 30-day time frame.

READ MORE

FUNDING ALERT DEADLINE: MAY 30TH - SUPPORT GIRLS AT-RISK

Logo Credit: Juvenile Justice Information Exchange

Grant/Contract Name:  National Girls Institute

Deadline:   May 30, 2013

Funding Amount:   Expected Number of Awards:     1 
Award Ceiling:     $500,000

Eligibility:   Public and State controlled institutions of higher education; Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education; Private institutions of higher education; For profit organizations other than small businesses; Small businesses

Agency:   U.S. Dept. of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention

Grant ID:    OJJDP-2013-3580

CFDA#:    16.540

Summary:   Through this program, OJJDP seeks to support its National Girls Institute (NGI) to advance the understanding and application of promising and evidence-based prevention, intervention, treatment, and aftercare programs and services for at-risk and juvenile justice- involved girls. NGI accomplishes its mission through a broad range of activities, including training and technical assistance (TTA); information dissemination; collaboration with researchers and program developers; partnership with federal, state, and local agencies; policy development; and other leadership functions.

Link:  http://www07.grants.gov/search/search.do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=228653

 

New York Lawmakers Seek to Make Marijuana-Shaped Candy Illegal

Article & Photo Credit: thedailychronic.net

ALBANY, NY — Legislation introduced Monday to the New York State Assembly would ban candies that look or taste like marijuana from being sold in the state.

Sponsored by Assemblyman Dennis H. Gabryszak (D-143), Assembly Bill 629 would prohibit the sales of any candy or confection that are “packaged, shaped or manufactured to resemble marijuana or marijuana products or to imitate the flavor of marijuana.”

The ban would apply to all novelty candies shaped to resemble marijuana, regardless of whether they contain cannabis.

The bill, which has fourteen co-sponsors, has been referred to the Consumer Affairs and Protection Committee.

A companion bill, Senate Bill 1556, has quietly advanced to a third reading in the Senate, where it awaits a vote.

HOW TO KEEP YOUR TEENS SAFE DURING PROM AND GRADUATION SEASON



Photo Credit: Shapingyouth.org

SECOND WEBINAR SESSION ADDED!

HOW TO KEEP YOUR TEENS SAFE DURING PROM AND GRADUATION SEASON

ONDCP’s “Above the Influence” campaign launches two new youth activities to raise teen’s awareness of risks during this time of year

 

(Washington D.C.) –  With prom and graduation season approaching, teens are soaring with excitement and eager to celebrate these end-of-year moments free from all restraints.  But with so many celebrations, it is also a time of increased pressure to fall under the influence of drugs, alcohol, and other risky behaviors.

To help teens “stay above” these pressure-filled moments, the “Above the Influence” campaign is launching two NEW youth activities designed to raise awareness of the added risks and challenges youth face during this time of the year. The ATI campaign is offering a webinar to provide partners with guidance on how to successfully plan and implement these activities in their communities.

In preview of the webinar, the two feature activities include the following:

• “Picture It” engages teens in a discussion and a photo-sharing exercise that highlights the potential pressures and risks teens may face during their prom and graduation season. The activity asks them to thoughtfully reflect on what these events mean to them, and what they can do to live up to their own expectations of these celebrations.  The activity compels teens to be content creators by encouraging them to use “Above the Influence’s” Facebook page and Instagram as a national platform to share their thoughts and see how others are making safe and healthy choices. 
• D.Driver puts teens in the driver’s seat by using video games and real-life scenarios to help them gain a better understanding of the potential consequences of driving after using drugs and alcohol or while distracted.

To serve the high demand for participation, the ATI campaign is happy to offer a second webinar session! The two sessions will cover the same information - please click on the link below to join us at the date and time that works best for you:

• Wed., April 3, 2013 from 1-2 p.m. EDT https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/936977593
• Wed., April 10, 2013 from 2-3 p.m. EDT https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/222129392

Once registered you will receive an email confirming your registration with information you need to join the webinar.

For more information on “Above the Influence” and to download the ATI Activities Toolkit and other FREE resources, visit http://www.atipartnerships.com/.

 

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Anti-Drug Update is your source for the latest news on the “Above the Influence” campaign.  Feel free to forward this information to your community partners and announce this information on your website or in your organizational newsletter.

“Above the Influence” is a program of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy.  The “Above the Influence” campaign has been reaching teens for more than seven years through television, print, radio, and online media.  ATI’s efforts in local communities focus on connecting directly with teens and local youth-serving organizations to deliver messages, activities, and support to help the Nation’s youth stay “above the influence” of drugs, alcohol, and other risky behaviors.  Multiple scientific findings indicate that teens that have increased exposure to, and engagement with, the “Above the Influence” campaign have stronger anti-drug beliefs than teens with low exposure to the campaign.