Ulster Co. Prescription Drug Task Force Launched

Ulster Co. Prescription Drug Task Force Launched

March 21 Kick Off Meeting Draws 40 from All Community Sectors

STONE RIDGE—The Prescription Drug Task Force of Ulster County held a kick off meeting on Thursday, March 21 at SUNY Ulster, drawing more than 40 people interested in supporting the task force’s goal of mobilizing all sectors of the community to reduce the epidemic of prescription drug abuse. Participants included doctors, pharmacists, school personnel, nonprofit agencies, mental health providers, law enforcement and local youth.

"The Centers for Disease Control declared prescription drug abuse a silent epidemic that is stealing thousands of lives and tearing apart communities and families across America" said Cheryl DePaolo, Director of the Ulster Prevention Council. "Ulster County is mobilizing the community to take action against this national health crisis".

According to a 2009 study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration, 16 million Americans ages 12 and older had taken a prescription pain reliever, tranquilizer, stimulant, or sedative for nonmedical purposes at least once in the year prior to being surveyed.

In a survey administered by the Ulster Prevention Council in 2012, 2.9 percent of the county’s 8th graders, 11.7 percent of 10th graders and 18.5 percent of 12th graders reported having abused prescription painkillers in their lifetime and 3.6% of students grade 7-12 had abused prescription painkillers in the previous 30 days.

The Prescription Drug Task Force is a joint initiative of the Ulster County Departments of Health and Mental Health and the Ulster Prevention Council. The next meeting will take place on April 18, 2013 at 10:00 AM at the Ulster County Department of Mental Health at 239 Golden Hill Dr. in Kingston.

For more information on the Prescription Drug Task Force of Ulster County call 845-458-7406.

Ulster Prevention Council Weekly Blog 3-18-13: Study Finds Prior Marijuana Use Increases Addictive Power of Nicotine

Study Finds Prior Marijuana Use Increases Addictive Power of Nicotine:

Exposure to tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the major psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, can increase the addictive properties of nicotine, according to a study in rats published online this week in Neuropsychopharmacology.
The study suggests that previous marijuana use may potentially increase the risk of nicotine dependence and tobacco-related diseases.
There has been a reduction in the prevalence of cigarette smoking in the United States, but it is still a leading cause of preventable death. Although tobacco is often considered a “gateway” to other drugs, there is now evidence to show that the reverse can be true — the use of other drugs can lead to nicotine dependence.
Steven Goldberg and colleagues tested whether exposing rats to THC would increase the likelihood that they would self-administer nicotine. For three days, one group was given twice-daily injections of THC and a control group received an equivalent injection of an inactive placebo. Starting one week after the final THC or placebo injection, the rats were trained to work for intravenous injections of nicotine. Rats that were previously exposed to THC were far more likely than control rats to self-administer nicotine, the researchers found. In addition, the THC-exposed rats worked much harder to obtain nicotine than the control group, suggesting that the value of nicotine was far greater after THC exposure.
Although there are many factors that may contribute to a progression from marijuana use to tobacco dependence, the research suggests that lasting effects of THC may make marijuana users more susceptible to the addictive effects of tobacco. 

Cheryl DePaolo
Director of the Ulster Prevention Council

Ulster Prevention Council Weekly Blog 3-12-13: Announcing Our Youth Media Contest!

The Ulster Prevention Council is pleased to announce our Spring 2013 Youth Media Contest:

Open to all Ulster County Students 

• Posters

• Radio

• Video Projects 

Help us get these important messages out to Ulster County communities:

·         The dangerous health risks associated with the misuse of prescription medications

·         Alternatives to drug use: getting involved in social & recreational activities in your community

·         Awareness of the harmful effects of marijuana on youth brain development & I.Q.

·         Be Aware, Don’t Share prescription drugs and Lock Your Meds to keep kids safe

WIN PRIZES !!!

• Best Video Message- $250 Gift Card

• Best Radio Message- $150 Gift Card

• Best Poster- $75 Gift Card

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: MAY 1ST

Winners to be selected on MAY 10th

Contact: Lori @ Ulster Prevention Council

Email: lrotolo@familyservicesny.org

Phone: (845) 458-7406 ext.231

The Youth Media Contest is held in honor of Phil Terpening, former chairman of our board and outstanding citizen, legislator, and friend. We have created the Innovations in Substance Abuse Prevention Awards to honor his memory.

MEDIA  CONTEST

Student Application

Individual:

Name _______________________________________________   Grade:__________

                                                OR

Group:

Name _________________________________________________Grade:__________

Name _________________________________________________Grade:__________

                                                                                         

Name _________________________________________________Grade:__________

Name _________________________________________________Grade:__________

Name _________________________________________________Grade:   ________             

School ________________________________________________________________

Category      □  Poster        □  Radio PSA       □  Video PSA

Project Title __________________________________________________________

	Return to:  Ulster Prevention Council 85 Grand Street Kingston, NY 12401 Attn:  Contest ! Or email:  lrotolo@familyservicesny.org

 

           

 

Ulster Prevention Council Weekly Blog 3-4-13: Ask Your Doctor

ASK YOUR DOCTOR – The Institute for Family Health’s new TV series on Ellenville Public Access Channel 20
The first in a series of health-focused TV shows aired on Thursday, Feb. 28^th, with Institute Physicians Dr. Maya Hambright, Medical Director at Ellenville Family Health Center and Dr. Ray Harvey, Medical Director at Kingston Hospital and Controlled Substance Director for IFH, along with resident physician Amy Soussan, MD. 
The focus of this show was on Prescription Drug use and misuse, which has become a health crisis/epidemic facing our nation, and specifically, our communities.  Students from the Ellenville Radio/TV production class developed questions on the topic and conducted the interview with the doctors.  Questions included:  How did the prescribing of medications become a health crisis?  What are the dangers of sharing pills prescribed for you with someone else?  What should people do if they have prescriptions at home that they no longer use or need?  What prescriptions are most addictive?  How do you know if someone is drug-seeking? What is being done by the medical community to address this issue? 
DVDs of the “Ask Your Doctor” series, along with other shows from the Spotlight on Wawarsing series (which highlights a different human service program or agency each week), will be available for those interested in showing them in waiting room areas and at community events.  Contact Lori at UPC 458-7406 ext. 231.


Cheryl DePaolo
Director of Ulster Prevention Council

Ulster Prevention Council Weekly Blog 2-25-13: Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  
Saugerties Police Department establishes permanent drug drop box
Those looking to get rid of their unused, unwanted, or expired medications can now visit the permanent drop box location at the Saugerties Police Department.  The location is part of Ulster County’s program to reduce prescription drug abuse.
“The Ulster Prevention Council has been working closely with the Saugerties Police Department to give residents an easy way to keep their medicine cabinets clean,” said Cheryl DePaolo, Director of the Ulster Prevention Council. 
“According to the 2012 Ulster County Youth Development Survey, one in ten Ulster County youth in grades 7-12 reported abusing prescription drugs, so it is important to do as much as we can to make these substances less available” said DePaolo.
Proper disposal of medications has long been a difficult problem for New Yorkers.  Flushing them pollutes the water supply.  Throwing them in the trash make than an easy target, not only for thieves, but for pets and wildlife. “Many communities around the country have held one-day or limited time collection efforts, but very few easy public access to a safe and secure permanent collection system” said DePaolo.
Drugs can be dropped off twenty-four hours per day, and there is no paperwork required. The police department will store the collected medications in a secure area, and then turn them over to federal authorities for disposal.
Through the implementation of a permanent drug collection unit, community members have the opportunity to help keep excess prescription and over the counter medication out of the hands of youth and substance abusers through safe and secure disposal.  

Police will accept all prescription medications and samples, all over-the-counter medications, vitamins, pet medications, medicated ointments, and liquid medication in leak-proof containers.

Items that cannot be discarded at the drop box include thermometers, syringes, IV bags, bloody or infectious waste, hydrogen peroxide, and aerosol cans or inhalers.

Ulster Prevention Council Weekly Blog 2-12-13: One Billion Rising

The 2012 Ulster County Youth Development Survey data just arrived – a box crammed with disks of data. I’m digging into the numbers and I will have a lot to say about our results in the coming weeks. However, it is time to take a break – to dance!
I’m joining One Billion Rising for V-Day. What is that? Here is some information from the web site:
About One Billion Rising:
One in three women on the planet will be raped or beaten in her lifetime.
One billion women violates is an atrocity.
One billion women dancing is a revolution.
On V-Day’s 15^th anniversary, 14 February 2013, we are inviting one billion women and those who love them to walk out, dance, rise up and demand an end to this violence.
What does one billion look like? On February 14 it will look like a revolution.
One billion rising is:
A global strike
An invitation to dance
A call to men and women to refuse to participate in the status quo until rape and rape culture ends
An act of solidarity, demonstrating to women the commonality of their struggles and their power in numbers
A refusal to accept violence against women and girls as a given
A new time and a new way of being
One Billion Rising is a promise that we will rise up with women and men worldwide to say “Enough! The violence ends now!”.
I was excited to see that there are at least four events planned in Ulster County.  For details, visit www.vday.org.
Whether or not you can make it to one of the V Day events, please take the time to view the following video. It will give you a good sense of the power of the day and the movement:
http://onebillionrising.org/blog/we-have-an-anthem


Cheryl DePaolo
Director of Ulster Prevention Council

UPC Weekly Blog 2-1-13: We've got to do more!

This week I learned of the tragic overdose deaths of two area youths.

100 people die from drug overdoses every day in the United States. Drug overdose death rates in the United States have more than tripled since 1990 and have never been higher. Although many types of prescription drugs are abused, there is currently a growing, deadly epidemic of prescription painkiller abuse. Nearly three out of four prescription drug overdoses are caused by prescription painkillers. 

These drugs were involved in more overdose deaths in than cocaine and heroin combined. Combining alcohol with drugs increases the risk. I’ve been sharing these facts for a while now.  We’ve got to do more. For our youth, for our parents, for ourselves. Effective strategies include universal evidence-based prevention curricula in schools, prescription drug monitoring programs, laws to prevent diversion, increased awareness and education, and better access to substance abuse evaluations and treatment.

Here at the Prevention Council we are rolling up our sleeves. Will you join us?

Cheryl DePaolo
Director of Ulster Prevention Council