The Partnership for a Drug Free America
Every day, 2,500 teenagers use a prescription drug to get high for the
first time. They're accessing these drugs in the comfort of home; it
can be as easy as opening a cupboard, drawer, or medicine cabinet. The
good news - there are steps you can take to help protect your kids from
prescription drug abuse: monitor, secure
and dispose. This site, Not in My House, created by Abbott and The Partnership for a Drug-Free America, shows you how. Go to site!
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Start the Conversation
- In conversations with your teen
about drugs, be sure to include prescription drug abuse and why it's
harmful. Tell them that taking prescription or over-the-counter (OTC)
drugs without a doctor's approval and supervision can be a
dangerous-even deadly-decision. Dispel the myth that these drugs are
less harmful than street drugs because they are available through a
doctor or at the local drug store.
- If you hear
about another teenager getting caught abusing prescription drugs,
calmly approach your teen about it. It's important to not react in any
way that cuts off further discussion.
- Be flexible about when you talk, but not about whether you talk.
- Remember: silence isn't golden. It's permission.
For more information on teenage drug abuse, and for additional ideas on talking with kids about drugs and alcohol, visit timetotalk.org,
a website of the Partnership for a Drug Free America. Remember, as a
parent, the things you say and do have a large influence on the
decisions your child makes-especially when it comes to drugs or alcohol.
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Wrecked
2/15 - 4PM - Nashua HS South - Free!
The mission behind Wrecked is to spread awareness of drinking and driving consequences but in a captivating and relatable way. It's a film for youth by youth. Benjamin Proulx, a Nashua High School South graduate and film major at Fitchburg State College, along with United States Air Force Academy junior Joseph Lopez, have created a motion picture based from a ninety page screenplay entitled Wrecked. Teens can identify with the story's characters, and the screenplay's captivating and contemporary plot makes this film more compelling than the average educational media.
The plot focuses on character development. Avoiding unrealistic high school clichés, Wrecked strikes a nerve and brings home the dangers of drinking and driving, just as its predecessor In Your Hands has done. More than thirty scenes precede the tragedy, so by the time one of the main characters is killed, teen viewers are intimately involved in the story's conflicts and emotions. Staying true to life, the car crash is unanticipated but preventable. Teen viewers are left thinking, "This didn't have to happen." But more importantly, they're also left thinking, "This doesn't have to happen to me or someone I care about."
Wrecked allows the viewer to be able to build a strong connection with the characters first and then when that connection is suddenly taken away, they're left with a better understanding of what real victim's families and friends go through every day. Wrecked is one of the most, if not the most effective product educators, advocates and administrators can use to combat teen drinking and driving.
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Legislative Updates (from New Futures)
Go to New Futures.
Go to NH General Court.
HB 166 (increasing the beer tax). The
beer tax ($.30 per gallon) has not been increased since 1983 (with the
exception of a temporary increase of $.05 that was in effect for 18
months in 1990/1991). The failure to at least index the tax for inflation is unfair to payers of other taxes that have been increased over time. There
is significant research to indicate that increasing the beer tax is an
important tool in reducing underage and other alcohol problems while
having little impact on the vast majority of consumers.
HB287 (relative to the sale of liquor by grocery and drug stores). HB287 proposes that off-premise licensees who do not sell tobacco be allowed to sell distilled spirits. At the hearing on January 21 it did not appear that this bill was likely to go very far.
HB 588 (relative to lowering the legal drinking age). This
bill will lower the minimum legal drinking age from 21 to 18 and is
similar to 2007's HB 567 which was soundly defeated in the House by a
vote of 234-31.
HB 605 (relative to employment of minors by liquor licensees). HB
605 amends several sections of the Liquor Commission statutes to
require individuals designated by the licensee as "in charge of
operations and employees" to be at least 21 years old. Current law sets this age at 18. New Futures believes that this change will improve the enforcement of underage purchase and service laws. This bill is scheduled for a public hearing
on Wednesday, February 12th at 2:00 p.m. in the House Commerce
Committee.
SB 125 (relative to proof of age for an underage drug or alcohol house party). SB
125 was introduced at the request of the police chiefs to address a
problem with the enforcement of the social host liability statute that
has impeded prosecution of adults hosting underage parties. New Futures is gathering additional information about the bill and will likely support it. It has not been scheduled for a public hearing.
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