April is Alcohol Awareness Month

Before one more high school student dies in an alcohol-related accident or another college student dies of alcohol poisoning, or another family is split up because of alcohol, the seriousness of the public health problems associated with alcohol and alcoholism must be brought into focus through the spotlight of public awareness. Alcohol is the drug most frequently used by Americans and results in more than 100,000 alcohol-related deaths per year.

For young people, they drink alcohol more frequently than they use all other illicit drugs combined and alcohol is responsible for more than 6,500 deaths per year (young people under 21): motor vehicle accidents account for 2,400 deaths, unintentional death by fire, falls, overdose account for 2,400 deaths, homicides account for 1,600 deaths and suicide accounts for about 300 deaths per year!

Alcohol-related problems and alcoholism effect each and every one of us, directly or indirectly, and are our Nation’s Number One public health problem in America. Alcohol is a drug that effects every cell and organ system in the body, effecting judgment, coordination and long-term health. In fact, recent scientific research now suggests that early use of alcohol by teenagers may contribute significantly to dependence on alcohol and other drugs later in life, with 40% of children who begin using alcohol before the age of 13 become alcohol dependent at some point in their lives.

Regrettably, too many dismiss underage drinking as a “youthful indiscretion” or a rite of passage from adolescence into adulthood, and many underage drinkers are often first presented with alcohol in their own dining rooms, living rooms and kitchens. Alcohol is aggressively marketed to underage drinkers and associated with athletic and social events popular with high school and college students.

The annual economic costs of alcohol-related problems exceeds $224 billion ($746 per person) due to lost productivity, health care costs, business and criminal justice costs, more than substance abuse and tobacco.

These are but a few of the fundamental reasons why we must increase public awareness. Not only are there a whole set of increased risks in the short-term, including traffic crashes, violent crime, assaults, burns, drowning, suicide attempts, fetal alcohol syndrome, alcohol poisonings and high-risk sexual behavior, the long-term physical and biochemical effects put many drinkers at risk for the rest of their lives. “The good news.....we are making progress,” says Robert J. Lindsey, President/CEO of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc. (NCADD) “and it is now estimated that more than 20 million individuals and family members are living lives in recovery!” “Bottom line, we all have an investment in reducing the devastating impact that  alcohol has on us as individuals, family members and as members of our communities,” says Lindsey.

April is Alcohol Awareness Month and the Putnam County Communities That Care (CTC) Coalition and the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependencies/Putnam remind you that if your drinking has caused problems in your relationships, at work, at home, financially, physically or legally, it’s time to get help. Help is available today.  Please join us, in celebrating NCADD’s 26^th Annual Alcohol Awareness Month and NCADD’s life-saving work, through prevention, treatment and recovery.

Together, we can make “Healthy Choices” develop “Healthy Communities” and “Prevent Underage Drinking”.

Please call the National Council on Alcoholism & Drug Dependencies of Putnam at 845-225-4646 for further information and referral services. Members of the Putnam CTC Coalition are available if you have any questions or would like for us to do a presentation to your organization on this or any other substance abuse trends that affect our children. Please visit and join us on Facebook by searching “Putnam County Communities That Care – NY or on Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/PutnamCTCNY.

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Information on our Teen Poster Contest!

Contact Elaine Santos at putnamdfcgrantee@gmail.com for more information!

View Info on Youth PG and take out survey! We need your feedback!

In observance of National Problem Gambling Month, we have a NEW presentation FOR parents to view @ http://putnamncadd.org/pdfFiles/presentationNoVideo.pdf

TAKE THIS SURVEY TO LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/RRXPS25

Youth Problem Gambling Information

The Silent Killer: What You Need to Know About Heroin

We mourn the recent deaths of celebrities such as Philip Seymour Hoffman and Corey Montieth but heroin has been a problem for decades, and not just for celebrities, but for every day people from all walks of life.

In January 2014, 22 people in Pennsylvania died in one week due to fentanyl laced heroin.  We often hear that the overdoses are happening because of a “bad” or tainted batch of heroin, similar to what happened in Pennsylvania. It’s important that we remember that there is no “good” batch of heroin in existence.

In the past year alone, New York, Connecticut, Vermont and Florida (amongst many other States) have reported record numbers of heroin overdoses.  We still await the final numbers from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, but 2014 could be the worst year with respect to this silent killer.  Why the increase now?

Here are a few reasons:

·     Prescription drug use of painkillers have increased 300% in the past decade alone. Abuse of prescription opiate pain killers (i.e., Oxycontin, Vicodin, etc) are behind heroin's growth in popularity with young people: these pills are the doorway to heroin abuse.  Prescription drug abuse is still more prevalent and responsible for more deaths than heroin and cocaine combined. (CDC)

·     It’s cheap: Individuals become addicted to expensive pain killers initially and then need to buy painkillers on the 'street', but the pills cost between $20 -$50 each (or more). Heroin is inexpensive and accessible ($10.00 a bag).

·     Geographics: The vast majority of heroin in the United States comes from Colombia and Mexico, not Afghanistan, and we have not seen any evidence of a shift in this trend.  According to DEA, the amount of heroin seized at the Southwest border increased 324 percent from 2008 to 2013 (Office of National Drug Control Policy). This geographic proximity impacts availability and the increase in use.

How do overdoses happen? According to NIDA, “heroin is converted back into morphine, which binds to molecules on cells known as opioid receptors. These receptors are located in many areas of the brain (and in the body), especially those involved in the perception of pain and in reward. Opioid receptors are also located in the brain stem, which controls automatic processes critical for life, such as blood pressure, arousal, and respiration. Heroin overdoses frequently involve a suppression of breathing, which can be fatal.”  Interestingly, most overdoses happen in the presence of other users, which is why the New York State Good Samaritan Law is so important. The law, which took effect on September 18^th,2011 encourages people to call 911 if they experience or see a drug or alcohol overdose, without fear of being charged with possessing small amounts of drugs.

Heroin craving can persist years after drug use stops, and can be triggered by exposure to stress or people, places, and things associated with drug use. The best way to prevent your child from becoming addicted is to educate yourself about the signs and symptoms of both alcohol and drug abuse and take action as soon as you suspect that your child may be using. Know the risks of heroin use which include fatal overdose, high risk of infections such as HIV/AIDS, collapsed veins, infection of the heart lining and valves, and liver disease.

Most importantly, develop healthy communication with your child so that you can better recognize any changes that may occur with substance use. Your child will be more likely to seek you out if he or she has a problem if open communication has been established.  Drug addiction is a disease, and can be prevented and treated. There is also overdose prevention being offered at Putnam Family and Community Services. The next training will be on May 3^rd from 12-2PM. For more information, please visit http://www.drugcrisisinourbackyard.com/events.html

A great link for all this information can be found at the Parents Resource Center, sponsored by the Partnership for a Drug Free America at the web site http://www.drugfree.org

Members of the Putnam County CTC Coalition are available if you have any questions on any substance abuse trends that affect our children. There are self-help groups and treatment options available right here in Putnam County.  Please call the National Council on Alcoholism and Other Drug Dependencies at 845-225-4646 for anonymous information and referral or visit http://putnamncadd.org/

Please visit and join us on Facebook by searching “Putnam County Communities That Care – NY” or follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/PutnamCTCNY or call 845-225-4646.

Sources: CDC, NIDA, ONDCP

Spring Medication Take Back Event Set!

Feel free to pass along the flyer below.

Crisis Hotlines in/around Putnam County

Crisis Hotlines in/around Putnam County:
Putnam County Crisis Hotline: 845-225-1222
National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 845-273-8255
For rape and sexual assault: 845-628-2166 (Women's Resource Center 24 hour hotline).
Green Chimneys Arbor House also operates a 24 hour hotline for youth and families. Through the hotline youth can access shelter, referral for other services, information and support. The number is (845) 279-2588.

Parent Alert: Purple Drank (Cough Syrup High)

In this Know! Parent Alert we are warning moms, dads and other caregivers about youth getting high on cough syrup. While young people abusing cough medicine is nothing new, is seems to have grown again in popularity, with one in 10 teens partaking nationwide.

Most commonly referred to as Purple Drank, Syrup, Sizzurp and Lean, this candy-flavored, cough syrup cocktail has long been glamorized in hip hop music and now among numerous other celebrities. Lil Wayne, a superstar rapper among today’s youth, literally sings the praises of Purple Drank in the song dedicated to his drug of choice called, “Me and My Drank.” Incidentally, Lil Wayne was hospitalized last year after a reported Purple Drank binge, and near-fatal overdose. Another megastar celebrity, Justin Bieber, has also helped to put this ‘Drank’ in the media spotlight. After his recent Miami Beach DUI and drag-racing arrest, reports swirled that he too is addicted to the mix.
So what exactly is in this purple drink and what makes it so appealing? It is prescription-strength cough syrup (codeine and promethazine – which also causes the purple hue) that is typically mixed with sprite or other soda and a Jolly Rancher candy (to mask the bitter flavor of the cough syrup); said to provide the user with a relaxed, euphoric high. 

Because it is a colorful, sweet-tasting concoction made with a perceived ‘legal’ drug, it is many times thought to be harmless among young users. Health experts say however, this couldn’t be further from the truth. This dangerously addictive, potentially fatal mix has the ability to depress the central nervous and respiratory systems, and cause the heart and lungs to shut down. Other non-fatal side effects from the Purple Drank include drowsiness, dry mouth, nausea, dizziness, itchiness, constipation, urinary retention, impaired vision, memory loss, confusion, hallucinations and seizures. As referenced earlier, it is often called ‘Lean’ because it commonly causes the user to lose coordination and have to lean on something to be able to remain standing.

It is vitally important to talk to your children about the dangers of misusing or abusing prescription drugs of any kind, even those that appear to be less harmful, like cough medicine. Youth should also be aware that it is illegal for anyone to use another person’s prescription cough medication, whether to treat an actual cough or for recreational use, and there can be legal consequences to accompany the potential physical and mental health consequences. Parents, you can also do your part by safeguarding and monitoring all prescription and over-the-counter medications in your home, and regularly disposing of your unused and unwanted medications.

Sources: USA Today - Sizzurp: What you need to know about cough syrup high, Narconon International: Info on Purple Drank. National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) – Emerging Trends: Purple Drank.