Wood County Prevention Coalition
Uniting For A Drug-Free Community Since 2004
Should The Opioid Crisis Be Declared A National Emergency?
A White House commission released a report this week on America's opioid crisis with an urgent recommendation — that President Trump declare it a national emergency.
Some medical professionals and others who work to treat drug addiction are praising that recommendation, saying it would shore up much needed drugs to treat overdose and aid recovery. But others worry it could lead to heightened enforcement of those struggling with addiction — similar to the crack epidemic of the 1980s.
The commission, chaired by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, has it right, says Dr. Andrew Kolodny, an addiction specialist with Brandeis University.
"This is a public health emergency," he says, noting that since 1999, more than 300,000 Americans have died from opioid overdoses.
Drug overdoses now kill more people each year than gun homicides and car crashes combined. In its report, the commission says by declaring a national emergency, the president and Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price could take immediate action on a number of fronts.
They could grant Medicaid waivers to states to expand funding for inpatient drug treatment. With emergency powers, the commission says the HHS secretary could negotiate lower prices for naloxone, a drug that reverses overdoses. Kolodny says that would allow state and local authorities to make the drug widely available.
"There should be naloxone available in the Starbucks, because we have people overdosing in the bathrooms of Starbucks," he says. "Any place where people could be overdosing, naloxone should be available."
Maine Raises Smoking Age to 21 After Lawmakers Override Veto
By MATTHEW HAAG The New York Times AUG 2, 2017
Maine will become the fourth state to raise the smoking age to 21 and will adopt stricter regulations on the sale of electronic cigarettes after lawmakers on Wednesday voted overwhelmingly to override the governor’s veto.
Gov. Paul R. LePage, a Republican, had called the bill an attempt to “social engineer our lives,” saying that if 18-year-olds can join the military and fight in wars, they should be allowed to decide on their own whether to use tobacco.
Senator Paul Davis, a Republican who wrote the bill, said the governor’s remarks showed that he had missed the point of the legislation.
“People who join the military don’t have 15-year-old kids following them around and being impressed by their actions,” Mr. Davis told reporters after the Senate’s vote on Wednesday. “It’s about the availability of cigarettes in schools.”
Starting in July, anyone under 21 will not be allowed to buy tobacco products in the state, which will join California, Hawaii and New Jersey as the only states to raise the age limit to 21, from 18. Maine’s new regulations will also apply to devices like e-cigarettes, which are popular among teenagers; hookah pipes; and smoking accessories.
In the last two decades, tobacco use among teenagers in Maine has dropped drastically, mirroring a similar decline across the country. But the state still ranks near the top for high schoolers who smoke cigarettes: In 2015, 11.2 percent of Maine high school students smoked, just above the national average of 10.8 percent, according to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Featured Speaker for September 29th Coalition Meeting Announced
In September of 2018, Ohio’s Medical Marijuana program will become fully-operational which will present many challenges to those working in prevention. Marcie will be presenting on what the finalized rules are and what those working in substance abuse prevention can do in this new environment.
Marcie became executive director in 2011 after serving as assistant director for four years. Before joining the agency, she served as chief of staff to Ohio’s First Lady, Hope Taft, serving on the senior staff of advisors to the governor. In that capacity she worked extensively on alcohol, tobacco, and other drug prevention activities at both the state and national levels. She previously served as director of the Women’s Division at the Ohio Bureau of Employment Services. Marcie earned her bachelor’s degree from Miami University and is a Certified Prevention Specialist.
Since Marcie joined PAA, the agency has become a national leader in prevention expertise, advocacy and coalition development. Throughout the opiate epidemic in Ohio, Marcie has also become a reliable consultant to state and local leaders to include good prevention strategies in policy and community work.
For more information, please see the flyer below.
To RSVP, please use the form below or email mkarna@wcesc.org.
RSVP to the next WCPC Community Meeting!
Wood County Prevention Coalition Meeting
Friday, Sep 29, 2017, 08:30 AM
Wood County Educational Service Center, 1867 N Research Drive, Bowling Green, OH
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