Fall Medication Take Back Day on November 1st!

Our latest PSA from us on Heroin use prevention!

Please spread this important message:

Upcoming Medication Take Back Day in Cold Spring- September 20th!

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.

“Responding to the Opioid Addiction Epidemic” Seminar

Medication Take Back Day on 9.21.13 - Cold Spring

Drug Forum in Putnam Valley for Parents

Urban Outfitters Selling Products that Promote Prescription Drug Use

Urban Outfitters, the national retail store popular with teens, is currently selling pint glasses, flasks and shot glasses made to look like prescription pill bottles. These products make light of prescription drug misuse and abuse, a dangerous behavior that is responsible for more deaths in the United States each year than heroin and cocaine combined. Medicine abuse has increased 33 percent over the past five years with one in four teens having misused or abused a prescription drug in their lifetime. Combined with alcohol, the misuse and abuse of prescription medications can be especially dangerous, making the Urban Outfitter Rx pint and shot glasses and flasks even more disturbing.

As recent research from The Partnership at Drugfree.org shows, teens and parents alike do not understand the health risks associated with the misuse and abuse of prescription drugs. In fact, more than a quarter of teens mistakenly believe that misusing and abusing prescription drugs is safer than using street drugs.
Tongue-in-cheek products that normalize and promote prescription drug abuse only serve to reinforce the misperception about the dangers associated with abusing medicine and put more teens at risk.
Ask Urban Outfitters to remove these products from their stores and website immediately.
Feel free to use the information above to help make your point.
CONTACT INFO FOR Urban Outfitters:

Send an e-mail to:
Richard A. Hayne; CEO & Chairman
richard.hayne@urbanout.com
Write a letter:
Urban Outfitters, Inc.
5000 South Broad St
Philadelphia, PA 19112-1495

*This information was posted by The Partnership at Drugfree.org
You can also go to www.causes.com/actions/1749784-stop-urban-outfitters-from-selling-products-that-promote-prescription-drug-abuse to sign a petition in support.

Putnam County Med Take Back a Continued Success!

Thank you to the many residents that came out yesterday for the Putnam County Medication Take Back Event! Over 85,000 pills/doses were collected coming to 320 pounds of unwanted/unused meds that were disposed! Our next event is scheduled for April 2013-we will keep you updated!

Photos by Elaine Santos, Coalition Coordinator

Fall Putnam County Medication Take Back Day Rescheduled for Saturday, 11/17/12

 The Putnam County Communities That Care Coalition, in collaboration with the Putnam County Health Department and Putnam County Sheriff’s Department, will be holding a Fall Medication Take Back Event at Putnam Hospital Center (PHC) on the rescheduled date of Saturday, November 17, 2012. This postponement took place due to the recovery process related to Hurricane Sandy.

To help combat this growing threat to our nation’s children Putnam Hospital Center will host the event on Saturday, November 17, 2012. The disposal hours are between 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Please enter through the PHC Wagner Cancer Pavilion entrance. Signage will be posted leading to the disposal area. Individuals can dispose of prescription medication, over the counter medication, and pet medication. Syringes will NOT be accepted. Please keep all medications in their original packaging and remove personal patient information.  Here are some steps you can take to prevent the misuse of prescription and over the counter medicine:

·         Take inventory of your prescription and over-the-counter medicine.

·         Lock your medicine chest.

·         Dispose of your unused, unwanted, and expired medicine in your home or at a proper disposal site

·         Take your medicine(s) exactly as prescribed.

·         Talk to your children about the dangers of prescription drug abuse.

The most recent National Survey on Drug Use and Health shows prescription medicines to be the most abused drugs by Americans, other than marijuana and found that 70% of people who abuse prescription pain relievers say they got them from friends or relatives. A recent study on drug use by of teens by the Partnership for a Drug Free America (PDFA) found that one in 9 children are abusing prescription pain relievers to get high.

For more information, please call Mary Rice of the Putnam County Health Department at (845) 808- 1390 ext. 43164 or Elaine Santos of the Putnam County Communities That Care Coalition at (845) 225-4646.

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

We held an Opioid awareness seminar on September 14th, 2012. We were fortunate to have Dr. Andrew Kolodny present on this very important topic. To get involved in opioid abuse prevention, please visit: http://www.supportprop.org/

Attendees

Dr. Andrew Kolodny

For a look at his excellent presentation, please visit:

http://putnamncadd.org/ctc.html

(Go to the right hand side, it is the second link under documents)

 

Rates of Illicit Drug Use and Dependence

CLICK TO MAKE LARGER

Fall Medication Take Back Day on 11/3!

The Opioid Addiction Epidemic: A Public Health Crisis

SAVE THE DATE

New Health Department TV Spot Shows Dangers of Prescription Painkiller Misuse

 
The New York City Health Department this week launched a new TV campaign as part of the Bloomberg Administration’s ongoing effort to curb rising abuse and overdoses from prescription painkillers. The 30-second spot underscores the serious health consequences of misusing these drugs, which are called opioids. These drugs are prescribed by doctors but when misused can lead to addiction or fatal overdose. The release of the ad follows the publication in December 2011 of Health Department guidance to physicians on how to prescribe these more carefully, and the formation of the Mayor’s Task Force on Prescription Painkiller Abuse, co-chaired by Depu ty Mayor Linda Gibbs and Chief Policy Advisor John Feinblatt.

Putnam Participates in Spring Medication Take Back Day

Medication Take Back Day was a huge success! Thank you to Putnam Hospital Center, Putnam Family and Community Services, Arms Acres, the Sheriff's Office and the Health Department for this great collaborative effort! 820 pounds collected on 4/28/12. 217 residents participated in this safe disposal.

CDC Reports on Prescription Drug Abuse Rates in the United States

Overdose deaths from prescription painkillers have skyrocketed in the past decade. Every year, nearly 15,000 people die from overdoses involving these drugs—more than those who die from heroin and cocaine combined.

Overdoses involving prescription painkillers—a class of drugs that includes hydrocodone, methadone, oxycodone, and oxymorphone—are a public health epidemic. These drugs are widely misused and abused. One in 20 people in the United States, ages 12 and older, used prescription painkillers nonmedically (without a prescription or just for the "high" they cause) in 2010. A recent CDC analysis discusses this growing epidemic and suggested measures for prevention.

A Public Health Epidemic

The problem of prescription painkiller overdoses has reached epidemic proportions.

Consider that:

• Prescription painkiller overdoses killed nearly 15,000 people in the US in 2008. This is more than 3 times the 4,000 people killed by these drugs in 1999.
• In 2010, about 12 million Americans (age 12 or older) reported nonmedical use of prescription painkillers in the past year.
• Nearly half a million emergency department visits in 2009 were due to people misusing or abusing prescription painkillers.
• Nonmedical use of prescription painkillers costs health insurers up to $72.5 billion annually in direct health care costs.

Groups at Greatest Risk

Certain groups are more likely to abuse or overdose on prescription painkillers:

• Many more men than women die of overdoses from prescription painkillers.
• Middle-aged adults have the highest prescription painkiller overdose rates.
• People in rural counties are about two times as likely to overdose on prescription painkillers as people in big cities.
• Whites and American Indian or Alaska Natives are more likely to overdose on prescription painkillers.
• About 1 in 10 American Indian or Alaska Natives age 12 or older used prescription painkillers for nonmedical reasons in the past year, compared to 1 in 20 whites and 1 in 30 blacks.

Steps for Safety

There are steps that everyone can take to help prevent overdoses involving prescription painkillers, while making sure patients have access to safe, effective treatment.

States can:

• Start or improve prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs), which are electronic databases that track all prescriptions for painkillers in the state.
• Use PDMP, Medicaid, and workers' compensation data to identify improper prescribing of painkillers.
• Set up programs for Medicaid, workers' compensation programs, and state-run health plans that identify and address improper patient use of painkillers.
• Pass, enforce and evaluate pill mill, doctor shopping and other laws to reduce prescription painkiller abuse.
• Encourage professional licensing boards to take action against inappropriate prescribing.
• Increase access to substance abuse treatment.

Individuals can:

• Use prescription painkillers only as directed by a health care provider.
• Make sure they are the only one to use their prescription painkillers. Not selling or sharing them with others helps prevent misuse and abuse.
• Store prescription painkillers in a secure place and dispose of them properly.*
• Get help for substance abuse problems if needed (1-800-662-HELP).

Health insurers can:

• Set up prescription claims review programs to identify and address improper prescribing and use of painkillers.
• Increase coverage for other treatments to reduce pain, such as physical therapy, and for substance abuse treatment.

Health care providers can:

• Follow guidelines for responsible painkiller prescribing, including
  • Screening and monitoring for substance abuse and mental health problems.
  • Prescribing painkillers only when other treatments have not been effective for pain.
  • Prescribing only the quantity of painkillers needed based on the expected length of pain.
  • Using patient-provider agreements combined with urine drug tests for people using prescription painkillers long term.
  • Talking with patients about safely using, storing and disposing of prescription painkillers.*
• Use PDMPs to identify patients who are improperly using prescription painkillers.

http://cdc.gov/Features/VitalSigns/PainkillerOverdoses/#

Fall Medication Take Back Day Scheduled