Opioids and opioid related deaths are a huge problem in the nation, but being a construction worker puts you more at risk. In Ohio, construction workers were 7 times more likely than other workers to die from an opioid overdose between 2010 and 2016. More than half of those who died from opioid overdose, had […]
My Experience as a VISTA – Julia
My name is Julia and I am an AmeriCorps VISTA working as an opioid outreach coordinator with Count It! Lock It! Drop It! I am 22 years old and originally from Worcester, Massachusetts. I went to the University of South Carolina for undergrad for my B.S in public health. After living in South Carolina for […]
Fall National Drug Take-Back Day Results
October 26th was the DEA’s National Drug Take-Back Day and the event had an excellent turnout! For the state of Tennessee, over 26,000 total pounds of pills were collected. This included opioid prescription medication, over-the-counter medication, and most other drugs commonly found inside the medicine cabinet. Detailed below is a breakdown for the state and […]
How to Have a Safe Holiday Season
It’s officially the holiday season! One major component of this time is family; whether it’s family visiting from out of town or you traveling, it is essential to know how to have a safe holiday season with your loved ones. Often, a person’s first initiation to prescription drugs is through the bathroom medicine cabinet. Pills […]
Monroe County Prevention and Wellness Coalition Launches “Pet Meds Matter Too” Campaign
Back in October, the Monroe County Prevention & Wellness Coalition launched their “Pet Meds Matter Too” campaign, which came about due to a CADCA article talking about a coalition working with their animal shelters, which led to the Monroe Coalition to start researching pet trends. After finding some troubling information, the coalition went into action […]
Where and How to Get Help
If you find yourself needing to looking into treatment options for someone in your life, you should know about the different options available so you can figure out what works best for your family’s needs. While looking at treatment options, it’s important to know that every child is different and what works for one kid […]
Where to Start on Getting Help
You might have seen the previous two blog posts and thought, “I don’t think my child has a substance abuse problem but I still want to make sure they’re as informed as possible.” Whether you’re just looking to start the conversation or you think your child might be heading down a rough path and don’t […]
Statistics on Youth and Prescription Drug Abuse
One common way youth spiral into prescription drug misuse is through oral surgery, typically with wisdom tooth removal, and also at home; the medicine cabinet can oftentimes be the place where youth first obtain access to prescription pills. There are several steps you can take to help the youth in your life. One step is […]
How to Talk to Youth
You might be thinking that it’s a good idea to talk to the youth in your life about substance use disorders or mental health but are unsure how to go about it. Before you start, it is important to realize that every person is different and no two conversations will be the same. Hopefully, these […]
October is Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome Awareness Month
Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) is a term for a group of problems a baby experiences when withdrawing from exposure to narcotics. Opioids cause withdrawal in a number of babies who are exposed to substances prenatally. When a mother is using, it increases the risk for both her and her unborn child. Using illicit substances while […]
