Prescription Drug Abuse Awareness Day

GUIDE, Inc.

750 South Perry Street, Suite 310

Lawrenceville, GA 30046

News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

LAWRENCEVILLE, GA, April 1, 2015--Prescription Drug Abuse Awareness Day

Did you know? Thousands of youth residing in Gwinnett County misuse or abuse prescription drugs daily.

According to the Georgia Department of Public Health (2013), “Everyday, about 100 people die from drug overdoses in the United States. The majority of these deaths are caused by prescription drug misuse or abuse.”1 Understanding the health risks associated with prescription drug misuse and/or abuse is a topic that should be taken seriously.

The Center for Disease Control (2015), defines prescription drug misuse or abuse as, “the use of illicit or prescription or over-the-counter drugs in a manner other than as directed.”2 In the United States, the most common prescription drugs abused are opioids (also known as prescription pain killers), depressants and stimulants (NIDA, 2015).3 The problem with this growing epidemic is youth who misuse or abuse prescription drugs often have these medications in their own homes.

The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) reports, “nearly one-third of people age 12 and over who used drugs for the first time began by using a prescription drug non-medically. Some individuals who misuse prescription drugs, particularly teens, believe these substances are safer than illicit drugs because they were prescribed by a healthcare professional and dispensed by a pharmacist.”4 Unfortunately, just because the medication was prescribed by a healthcare provider, it does not make the drug safer or healthier than other drugs.

Due to the increase in devastating prescription drug overdose cases within the United States and Georgia, it is imperative to educate Gwinnett County families about the risks associated with misusing prescription drugs.

Gwinnett United In Drug Education, Inc. (GUIDE) has educated the Gwinnett community about the hazards of substance abuse since 1986. As a non-profit community-based organization, GUIDE’s mission is to mobilize and equip the Gwinnett community with the information and strategies needed to promote youth development, improve community conditions and address other issues associated with substance use and abuse.

This year, GUIDE has partnered with four Master of Social Work students from Georgia State University in an effort to bring awareness regarding prescription drug abuse to Gwinnett residents. In collaboration with these graduate students, GUIDE is partnering with Gwinnett County Parks and Recreation, Live Healthy Gwinnett, CETPA, Emory University and the Gwinnett County Police Department to host a Prescription Drug Abuse Awareness Day on April 25, 2015 from 12 - 2 pm at Lucky Shoals Park in Norcross. We invite teens, adults and caregivers to come out and support our awareness event and learn valuable information about issues related to prescription drug abuse, ways to prevent it and much more. You will hear from speakers with expertise in this field, engage in interactive activities and have a chance to win door prizes. You don’t want to miss this event! This is your future; your life depends on it.

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4/1/15

Contacts: Glynnis Pittman 404-857-8747 gpittman2@student.gsu.edu

Rosa Gutierrez 678-682-4946 rgutierrez4@student.gsu.edu

1 Georgia Department of Health (2013). Prescription Drug Overdose. Retrieved from

http://dph.georgia.gov/events/2013-11-01/georgia-prescription-drug-overd...’s-meeting

2 Center for Disease Control (2015). Home and Recreational Safety. Retrieved from

http://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/overdose/facts.html

3 National Institute on Drug Abuse (2015). Prescription Drugs. Retrieved from

http://teens.drugabuse.gov/drug-facts/prescription-drugs

4 Office of National Drug Control Policy. (n.d.). Prescription Drug Abuse. Retrieved from

https://www.whitehouse.gov/ondcp/prescription-drug-abuse