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Empowering Parents: Take the Safe Home Pledge

Take the Safe Home Pledge

Prescription and Over the Counter (OTC) drugs:

Prescription and OTC medications can cause risk to young people if they are not used properly. Prescription drugs are the most abused substances by teens after marijuana and alcohol. When teens abuse prescription drugs and take the in different amounts or for other reasons than as they are prescribed, they affect the brain and body in ways very similar to illicit drugs. OTC medicines are drugs you can buy without a prescription. They are safe and effective when you follow the directions on the label and as directed by your health care professional. When prescription drugs are abused, they can be addictive and have harmful health effects such as overdose (especially when taken along with other drugs or alcohol). 

Source: CDC, Injury Prevention & Control: Prescription Drug Overdose, Understanding the Epidemic http://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/epidemic/index.html

The Impact of Fentanyl:

According to the Riley County Health Department, Fentanyl has fundamentally changed overdose understanding. An overdose occurs when a substance whether swallowed, inhaled, injected, or absorbed through the skin causes harmful effects to the body. Traditionally, this happens when a person takes too much of a drug. However, fentanyl changes this understanding. Because fentanyl is extremely potent, a fatal dose can be as small as just a few grains of salt. This means overdose can occur even without what most people would consider an “excessive amount.”

What is Non-Medical Use of Prescription Drugs?

•    Taking more than the prescribed dose of a prescription drug.
•    Taking a drug prescribed for another person or taking a drug obtained illegally or without a legitimate prescription.
•    Any use of a prescription drug, an over-the-counter pharmaceutical, or a dietary supplement that Emergency Department medical staff document in the patient’s        medical record as misuse or abuse.

Source: SAMHSA, Drug Abuse Warning Network, 2011: National Estimates of Drug-Related Emergency Department Visits, 2013.

Where do teens get their prescription drugs?

Many teens obtain prescription drugs from their family or friends. Teens find prescription drugs and OTC drugs in their home medicine cabinet or on the kitchen shelf. For persons aged 12 or older who used pain relievers, non-medically in the past year:

•    53.0 percent got the drug they used most recently from a friend or relative for free.
•    21.2 percent received them through a prescription from one doctor.
•    10.6 percent bought the drug from a friend or relative.
•    4.3 percent got pain relievers from a drug dealer or other stranger.
•    0.1 percent bought them on the Internet.

Source: 2013 National Survey on Drug Use and Health Over the Counter (OTC) and Prescription Drugs, Prescription for Disaster: How Teens Abuse Medicine, Get Smart About Drugs. DEA: https://www.dea.gov/sites/default/files/resource-center/Publications/DEA_Prescription-For-Disaster_508ver.pdf

What Can Parents Do?

Know the facts! Individuals that begin using drugs and/or alcohol in their teen years are more likely to have lasting brain developmental effects and a higher potential for addiction. Talk to your teen about the risks of using drugs and/or alcohol and its negative impacts. Start these open conversations and listen without accusing or lecturing.  Quick, frequent communication is most effective. Share reasons not to use drugs and/or alcohol and encourage them to look up the dangers that alcohol poses to their health and wellness. Talk about peer pressure and brainstorm ways to manage it. Encourage your kids to be involved in healthy activities and events that don’t include drugs and/or alcohol. Communicate rules and expectations. Set and enforce clear rules against using drugs or drinking alcohol. Establish consequences in advance and stick to them. Take the time to know your teens friends and reach out and introduce yourself to their families. Be a positive role model. Be supportive, acknowledging their feelings and struggles while helping them find ways to cope with challenges.  It’s okay not to have all the answers to their questions. Together, you can seek outside help and resources when needed. Consider media messages. Social media, television programs, movies and songs can make drug use seem normal or glamorous. Talk about what your teen sees and hears. Take the Safe Home Pledge

Resources: 

Suicide and Crisis Lifeline – 988
Centers for Disease Control Tobacco Quitline – 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669)
Human Trafficking Resource Center – 1-888-373-7888
SAMHSA helpline for Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders – 1-800-662-HELP
Monitoring the Future, an ongoing study of the behaviors, attitudes, and values of American secondary school students, college students, and young adults, provides information on the latest drug use trends
NIDA for Parents and Educators with resources specifically for adolescents
Drug Enforcement Administration: Just Think Twice: Drug Prevention
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Resources Administration's parent program Talk They Hear You Mobile App
Partnership to End Addiction
My Life My Quit: Teen Nicotine and Vaping Cessation and Information
Learn about the American Lung Association’s programs to help you or a loved one quit smoking, and join our advocacy efforts to reduce tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke – Lung Help Line at 1-800-LUNGUSA (1-800-586-4872)
This is Quitting – Text DITCHVAPE to 88709 to get started
For additional information, please contact Kari Q. Humes, Drug and Alcohol Prevention Coordinator and Counselor or 785-587-2100, extension 8058.

Please join the Riley County Health Department and Manhattan-Ogden USD 383 Schools by promoting a healthy, drug-free, and safe environment for every child. Follow the QR code or link to take the pledge and win prizes. For questions contact the Riley County Health Department, Jenni Ebert, Opioid Education and Prevention Specialist at jebert@rileycountyks.gov or (785) 776-4779 ext. 7677.


The Pledge
(on a mobile device click the next arrow to sign the pledge)

As a community member, I pledge to create a safe and healthy home environment where children can grow, learn, and thrive.
By taking this pledge, I commit to:

•    Secure all medications and substances.
•    Store prescription and over-the-counter medications, cleaning supplies, alcohol, and any potentially harmful substances in a locked or secure location.
•    Dispose of unused or expired medications properly using local drop boxes or take-back events.
•    Talk openly and early.
•    Have age-appropriate conversations with children about the dangers of drugs, alcohol, and tobacco.
•    Encourage open communication and let children know they can come to me with questions or concerns.
•    Be aware and take action.
•    Stay alert to warning signs of substance misuse or unsafe environments affecting children.
•    Report suspected neglect or endangerment to the appropriate authorities or local resources.
•    Support families and community well-being.
•    Share information and resources that promote healthy choices and family safety.
•    Participate in community prevention programs and trainings through the local health department or Kansas Alliance for Drug Endangered Children.
•    Model healthy behaviors.
•    Set a positive example through responsible behavior and stress management.
•    Prioritize mental health and wellness for myself and my family.


A pledge partnership with Riley County Official Website | Official Website and  Manhattan-Ogden USD 383


 
1. Please sign the pledge  *This question is required.
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