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Registration date : 2008-11-09
 | | Subject: Ohio campaign to attack prescription drug abuse Sun 26 Sep 2010, 5:59 pm | |
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The Ohio Department of Health will lead a "Prescription for Prevention" public awareness campaign across the state. The campaign will aim to combat unintentional prescription drug overdoses.
In 2007, unintentional drug poisoning became the leading cause of injury death in Ohio, surpassing motor vehicle crashes and suicide for the first time on record. From 1999 to 2008, Ohio's death rate from unintentional drug poisonings increased by 350 percent. In Ross County, more than 70 unintentional drug-related deaths occurred between 2004 and 2008.
The campaign has a special focus in southern Ohio where the state is seeing the highest levels of reported prescription drug abuse. Ross County, along with Adams, Jackson and Vinton counties in southern Ohio and Cuyahoga County in northeastern Ohio have been forming coalitions to address the issue and enforce the campaign.
The coalitions are comprised of local health departments, law enforcement, coroners, substance abuse treatment facilities, pharmacists, health-care providers, school systems and representatives from area elder-care agencies.
The campaign will use a variety of media to spread awareness, including television and radio public service announcements which will start airing in October.
The campaign will have "lunch and learn" outreach events to specifically target the top 100 employers and largest manufacturing companies headquartered in Ohio.
The campaign also is reaching high school youth by working with student organizations in each of the five target counties to explain the warning signs of prescription drug abuse and educate them on the available resources focused on stopping abuse. Student organizations will adopt the campaign and tailor it specifically to their school to facilitate peer-to-peer conversations about the issue.
The issue is being spotlighted nationwide this weekend with a Drug Enforcement Agency- promoted National Take Back Day. Neighborhoods across the nation will be addressing drug abuse with drug take-back events between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday.
Locally, law enforcement will take expired, unwanted or unused prescription drugs at the Law Enforcement Center in Chillicothe during those hours.Source:
Chillicothe Gazette
posted by Dee
09/26/2010 | |
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