SAFE GC Coalition: National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week

The National Institute on Drug Abuse National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week is an annual week-long health observance that inspires dialogue about the science of drug use and addiction among youth. The week was launched in 2010 by scientists at the National Institute on Drug Abuse to stimulate educational events in communities so teens can learn what science has taught us about drug use and addiction and serves as a national health observance for teens to help them make the right choices regarding drugs and alcohol.

National Drug and Alcohol Facts week was observed by members of the SAFE Glen Cove Coalition’s Youth and School Committees. Students enrolled SAFE’s Life Skills Training programs learned about factual science-based research to counteract the myths about drugs and alcohol that teens get from the internet, social media, TV, movies, music, or friends.

Students enrolled in SAFE’s Life Skills Training (LST) program participated in the event along with peers who attend the Youth Bureau’s After 3 programs. Ms. Monica Salinas, LST Facilitator, worked with the students in leading an exercise that required using all the facts from her lesson plan on the dangers of substance abuse to create a Pledge not to use addictive drugs or drink alcohol. Students were charged with motivating their peers to take the Pledge to “Say No to Drugs and Alcohol”, and to in turn tell a friend to do the same. The goal was to encourage the youths to embrace SAFE's credo to “Live SAFE”.

Additionally, Glen Cove High School and Middle School students via Mr. Gallo and Ms. Sullivan’s Health Education classes also participated, highlighting destructive decision making, and strategies to avoid impulsive actions. Throughout the week pertinent and timely Drug and Alcohol Facts were woven into the instructional curriculum, including current trends and information on the dangers of all Tobacco products especially the correlation and connection between marijuana and tobacco vaping provided by SAFE's Community Partner and Technical Resource-Ms. Meschkow, Program Manager, Tobacco Action Coalition of LI (TAC).

SAFE, Inc. is the only alcohol and substance abuse prevention, intervention and education agency in the City of Glen Cove. Its Coalition is conducting an opioid prevention awareness campaign entitled, "Keeping Glen Cove SAFE," to educate and update the community regarding opioid use and its consequences. To learn more about the SAFE Glen Cove Coalition please follow us on www.facebook.com/safeglencove or visit SAFE’s website to learn more about the Opioid Epidemic at www.safeglencove.org.