Wood County Prevention Coalition
Uniting For A Drug-Free Community Since 2004
Raising tobacco sales age will save future generations
By Patrick Charmel nhregister.com
04/21/16, 5:28 PM EDT
In Connecticut, about 4,900 adults die each year because of tobacco. The fact is that tobacco kills more people than alcohol, AIDS, car crashes, illegal drugs, murders and suicides combined. We see the effects of tobacco in heart disease, lung disease, and many other chronic conditions we treat. We see the devastation wrought, and despite the success of programs we’ve put in place to detect and treat lung cancer and other smoking-related diseases sooner, we’re not addressing the root problem: preventing people from smoking in the first place.
Now Connecticut, like many states, is considering increasing the tobacco purchase age to 21, and for good reason. Ninety-nine percent of all adult smokers report that they started smoking before age 25. Tobacco use is a pediatric epidemic because most users start in high school. Eighty percent of youth smokers will become adult smokers, and one-half of adult smokers will die prematurely from tobacco-related diseases. One half!
Specific to Connecticut, this means 56,000 kids who are now under the age of 18 will ultimately die prematurely from smoking. Currently, 13 percent of Connecticut high school students smoke, and 2,100 kids under the age of 18 become new daily smokers in Connecticut each year.
The remaining portion of this opinion piece can be found here: www.nhregister.com/opinion/20160421/forum-raising-tobacco-sales-age-will-save-future-generations
BG Police and DEA to collect unused prescription drugs
JAN LARSON MCLAUGHLIN APRIL 20, 2016
On April 30th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Bowling Green Police Division and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will give the public its 11th opportunity in six years to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs. Bring your pills for disposal to the main entrance of the Wood County Hospital at 950 W. Wooster Street in Bowling Green, Ohio 43402. This entrance is located on the eastside of the building. (The DEA cannot accept liquids, needles, or sharps, only pills or patches.) The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.
Last September, Americans turned in 350 tons (over 702,000 pounds) of prescription drugs at more than 5,000 sites operated by the DEA and more than 3,800 of its state and local law enforcement partners. Overall, in its 10 previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners have taken in over 5.5 million pounds—more than 2,750 tons—of pills.
This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse.
Please visit http://bgindependentmedia.org/bg-police-and-dea-to-collect-unused-prescription-drugs/ to read the rest of this article.
No Wrong Door with Cost of Poverty Experience
There will be a No Wrong Door Training combined with COPE (Cost of Poverty Experience) on Friday, May 20, 2016, 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., held at Wood County Educational Service Center, 1867 N. Research Drive, Bowling Green, OH.
Did you know ---
There are over 18,000 people in Wood County living below the Federal Poverty Level (twice the number of people since 2004).
There are another 18,000 living below 200% of Federal Poverty Guidelines.
Combined, that’s nearly 1/3 of the Wood County Population of almost 130,000, or 36,000 people struggling financially - right here in Wood County, Ohio.
Of these, nearly 7,500 are children living in poverty or financially depressed circumstances in Wood County.
[Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census – ACS (2015c)]
The May 20 training is an excellent opportunity to learn about a broad range of service and supports for residents of Wood County, as well as to develop a better understanding of the struggles and complications of life experienced by the many people living in poverty or financial distress.
This event is sponsored by the Family & Children First Council of Wood County – a collaborative group of child & family serving organizations of Wood County.
To register for the No Wrong Door/COPE training on May 20th – simply call Wood County Educational Service Center at 419-354-9010.
The cost is only $10, payable at the training.
Wood County Prevention Coalition Meeting
Friday, May 13, 2016, 08:30 AM
Wood County Educational Service Center 1867 N Research Drive, Bowling Green, OH, United States
RSVPs are enabled for this event.
About Us
Our Vision: Helping youth be drug-free, productive and responsible citizens.
Our Mission: We are a coalition of compassionate community members working together to coordinate high quality programs for the prevention of youth substance abuse in Wood County.
Email: mkarna@wcesc.org
Website: wcprevention.org
Location: 1867 Research Drive, Bowling Green, OH, United States
Phone: (419)-354-9010
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WCPCoalition
Twitter: @woodpccoalition