United Way of the River Cities

Annual Drug Prevention Summit

4th Annual Cabell Drug Prevention Summit

The 4th Annual Drug Prevention Summit was held on January 21, 2010 at the Big Sandy Superstore Conference Center which included over 200 participants. Sponsors for the summit included The Herald Dispatch, the WV Prevention Resource Center and United Way of the River Cities. Volunteers included  Huntington Middle School Students and Counselors, Marshall University Students, and CCSAPP coalition members. The Drug Prevention Summit offered participants a chance to discuss steps that they can take in   their homes, workplaces, and communities to prevent or reduce prescription drug abuse.

Senator Evan Jenkins introduced a package of legislative initiatives developed in an effort to decrease prescription drug abuse in West Virginia.  This legislation included:

• A Statewide Uniform Tamper Resistant Prescription Pad program.
• Mandatory internet access for pharmacy staff so that they may access the WV Controlled Substance Monitoring Program database.
• Prohibiting individuals from providing false information to obtain a controlled substances prescription.
• Clarifies certain language in the Controlled Substances Monitoring Act.

All of these initiatives were passed in the last legislative session.

Participants also discussed the need for everyone to safeguard their medications and dispose of them properly. Another initiative discussed and planned during the drug summit was the Prescription Take Back Program. This program will be held in Cabell County in the fall and will provide community members with an opportunity to safely dispose of their unused or expired prescription medications. This action will help to decrease the amount of medications that can be abused in the home.

Additionally, six community-wide prescription drug abuse prevention meetings will  be held throughout the county from May to September this year. If your community group is interested n hosting a Prescription Drug Abuse Community Forum this summer, please contact CCSAPP at the number below.

During the summit many participants also signed up for various Next Steps. One of the next steps included a training workshop for community members, entitled Maximizing Your Role as a Teen Influencer.  CCSAPP has trained 14 individuals to facilitate this training in their communities. Since then several of the new trainers have implemented the training in their social groups.

For more information on hosting a prescription drug abuse prevention meeting for your community/social group or to find out how you can take the next steps to prevent prescription drug abuse in your home and community, please contact:

Anne McGee, Project Director
(304) 523-8929 ext. 5
anne.mcgee@unitedwayrivercities.org

To see media coverage of the 4th Annual Cabell Drug Prevention Summit, please click here.

3rd Annual Drug Prevention Summit

Click here to view pictures from the 3rd Annual Drug Prevention Summit.

Click here to read the Herald Dispatch's coverage of the 3rd Annual Drug Prevention Summit.

For more information, please contact:

Anne McGee, Project Director
(304) 523-8929 ext. 5
anne.mcgee@unitedwayrivercities.org

Elaine Darling, Assistant Coordinator                                                                                                      (304) 523-8929 ext. 9                                                                            elaine.darling@unitedwayrivercities.org

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