CADA NEWS, VIEWS, AND CLUES

An e-mail newsletter for the education and preventionof ATOD abuse.

An effort by the Coalition Against Drug Abuse of ClayCounty and SoutheasternIL

Counseling Centers, Inc.

RX DRUG TAKE-BACK A

BIG SUCCESS

The Rx and OTC drug take-back initiative held at the ClayCountyHospital lobby collected over 200 pounds of outdated or unwanted drugs. The event was held on Saturday, April 28th, 2012 and was the third in a series of ongoing events to be held every six months in conjunction with the National DEA take-back. There were take-back events at about 5,000 locations in all 50 states. One of the closest sites was in Salem. You might not think that the take-back makes a big difference, but in the November 2011 take-back there was 377,086 pounds or 188.5 tons of drugs collected across the United States. Can you imagine the environmental outcome of dumping all that caustic material into the earth, resulting in pollution of our water sources? Or what problems would all of those drugs have caused if they were put into abusers hands on the street? We are grateful to the citizens of ClayCounty for their overwhelming response to the take-back. And for those who missed the take-back, there will be another one in six months.

The take-back was sponsored by the Coalition Against Drug Abuse of ClayCounty (CADA) in cooperation with the ClayCountyHospital, Clay County Sheriff, Flora Police Dept., Clay County Health Department, ClayCounty Solid Waste Committee, and Southeastern IL Counseling Centers, Inc.

Special thanks go to ClayCountyHospital pharmacist, RPh, and Director of Pharmacy at ClayCountyHospital, Ryan Harris. Ryan donated his Saturday to be there from 10 AM till 2 PM for the event. Thanks also to Clay County Sheriff Jim Sulsberger and Deputy Andy Meyers for registering the event with the DEA and supervising. Kudos to Flora Police Chief John Nicholson and Officer Brian Lane for being at the event, and Tera Conklin of the Clay County Probation Office and CADA for working the event.

CADA AT THE KEEP KIDS

SAFE CARNIVAL

Lisa Cash and Tera Conklin work the CADA booth at the Keep Kids Safe Carnival.

The Coalition Against Drug Abuse of ClayCounty (CADA) had a booth at the Clay County Health Department’s Keep Kids Safe Carnival on Thursday, April 26th. There were over 200 kids participating along with the adults that accompanied them. CADA had a drawing for 2 kid’s bikes. Abby Davis won the girls bike and Jorie Fulk won the boy’s diego bike. Marilyn Brant, Clay County State’s Attorney, donated beanie babies to CADA to give away during the event. CADA was able to distribute CADA pens and pencils, kids bookmarks, brochures about substance abuse, and wristbands with an uplifting anti-drug message on them. CADA also had hopscotch and ring toss games for the kids.

CHILD ABUSE AND ALCOHOL

The link between parents drinking alcohol and their children suffering abuse is unmistakable. There is more than76 million people world wide that abuse alcohol. Fourteen million of them live in the United States and 6.6 million American children grow up in alcoholic households. More than a million children are victims of child abuse each year, and alcohol is a major factor in nine of every ten cases. Two in five abusive parents are alcoholics. Every day at least three children die as a result of abuse and neglect. State child welfare records indicate that substance abuse is one of the top two problems exhibited by families in 81% of the reported cases. Children in these circumstances often lack guidance, positive role modeling, and live in isolation. Frequently, they suffer from depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem. They live in an atmosphere of stress and family conflict. Children raised in these households are more likely to have problems with alcohol and other drugs themselves.

PARENTS CAN INFLUENCE

YOUTH ATTITUDES

Here are some tips:

  • Communicate before a problem starts.It’s important to have discussions before incidents happen – prior to any blaming, anger, or punishment.
  • Discuss rules and consequences.
  • Show you care.
  • Pay attention. Even when life is stressful, it’s important to make time to listen to your child, know where your child is and what your child is doing.
  • Share family activities, including events such as dinner, to build a bond with your child.
  • Give and get respect. When your child talks to you, listen.

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