Upcoming Coalition Seminar: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Substance Use

Family Day is September 24th!

Check out our brochure below for information on Family Day and suggestions for families! (Click to make larger)

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!

County-Wide Alcoholic Beverage Sales Compliance Inspections Net Three Arrests

Press Release from the Putnam County Sheriff's Office:

Putnam County Sheriff Donald B. Smith reports the arrest of three individuals following the completion of a series of alcoholic beverage sales compliance checks throughout Putnam County. These inspections were conducted during recent weeks by undercover members of the Sheriff’s Narcotics Enforcement Unit in conjunction with the Putnam County Communities That Care Coalition.
Of the seventy-nine establishments authorized to sell alcoholic beverages for off premise consumption that were checked, only three allegedly violated provisions of the New York State Penal Law and New York State Alcohol Beverage Law. Clerks from three businesses sold alcoholic beverages to patrons under the legal age of twenty-one years of age without obtaining identification from them. In each case the seller was arrested and charged with Unlawfully Dealing With a Child in the First Degree, a class “A” misdemeanor. They were issued appearance tickets and are due to appear in the appropriate local criminal court at a later date. If convicted, each defendant may be sentenced to a jail term of up to one year in the Putnam County Correctional Facility and/or fined up to $1,000. Additionally, these cases have been referred to the New York State Liquor Authority for further appropriate administrative action. Their sanctions may vary from a fine to a suspension or revocation of the establishment’s liquor license.
Those found out of compliance were: Bella Vino Spirits of Route 6 in the Town of Southeast; Gulf Express, located at Route 9 in Philipstown and CVS Pharmacy, located at Route 6 in the Mahopac section of the Town of Carmel. “Although we are troubled by these arrests, we are pleased to see that more licensed retailers are observing the law. Two years ago, sheriff’s deputies charged eleven people after conducting these inspections. Last year, fifteen individuals were arrested in connection with the illegal sales of alcoholic beverages to minors,” said Sheriff Smith.
“Naturally, the goal of law enforcement and the Putnam County Communities That Care Coalition is one hundred percent obedience to the law. Every effort should be made to keep alcoholic beverages out of the hands of our children. We prefer voluntary compliance, however, periodic inspections will continue at various times of the day throughout the year,” concluded the Sheriff.

Dinner Makes a Difference - Family Day is September 24th!

Teens that have infrequent family dinners are likelier to smoke, drink, and use marijuana according to the The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University (CASA Columbia). CASA has been surveying teens for eighteen years.

Family Day is a national movement to encourage parents to frequently eat dinner with their kids and be involved in their children’s lives. Family Day will be celebrated nationwide this year on Monday, Sept. 24th. According to CASAColumbia’s report The Importance of Family Dinners VII, compared to teens who have frequent family dinners (five to seven per week), those who have infrequent family dinners (fewer than three per week) are:  

•          Almost four times likelier to use tobacco

•           More than twice as likely to use alcohol

•          Two-and-a-half times likelier to use marijuana

The report also found that teens that have frequent family dinners are likelier to get better grades in school and to say they have an excellent relationship with their parents.

The CASA Columbia family dinners report reveals that 58 percent of teens report having dinner with their families at least five times a week, a proportion that has remained consistent over the past decade. Having frequent family dinners also encourages healthy family relationships. According to the report, teens that have dinner with their families consistently are:

• One-and-a-half times likelier to report having an excellent relationship with their mother;
• More than twice as likely to report having an excellent relationship with their father; and
• Almost twice as likely to report having an excellent relationship with their sibling(s).

“Family meals are the perfect time to have a conversation with your teen. It affords you the opportunity to spend time with your child, talk to them about their friends, interests and the dangers of drugs and alcohol. Parental engagement is the key, as this study proves.” stated Kristin McConnell, Executive Director of the National Council on Alcoholism and Other Drug Dependencies/Putnam.

The study also states that teens that have infrequent family dinners have more access to alcohol, marijuana and prescription drugs (to get high) than teens who have consistent family dinners with their parents and siblings.

“Having meals, even if they are on the go, with your child gives parents the opportunity to answer questions and recognize that they (the parent) have the power to help keep their children substance free. This is a very powerful study, and the best thing about it is that family dinners are an actionable goal for parents and teens to achieve. It’s not always easy because of busy schedules, but it is doable”, stated Elaine Santos, Putnam County Communities That Care Coalition Coordinator.

For a FREE Family Dinner Kit please visit: http://casafamilyday.org/familyday/tools-you-can-use/family-dinner-kit/

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 or call 845-225-4646.