For A Drug-Free

Summer

To the Editor:

On behalf of the Newtown Prevention Council (NPC), I would like to commend the Newtown Drug Center for the outstanding support they provide to the young people of Newtown. In April, the NPC sponsored a “Clean Out the Medicine Cabinet” campaign to encourage families to properly dispose of unused and/or expired medications. We know that prescription drug abuse by youth can start as a result of the easy access to dangerous drugs and narcotics that are often left unaccounted for in the family medicine cabinet. Once addicted to prescribed painkillers, heroin becomes an easier an cheaper alternative. The Drug Center volunteered to serve as the collection point for the clean-out. And clean out you did, Newtown! The Drug Center collected four very large cartons of assorted pills and prescriptions, drugs that will now not end up in the wrong hands.

Thank you, Drug Center, for your never-ending support, and thank you to the families of Newtown for reducing one of the sources of drug use for youth. Alcohol continues to be the drug of choice for youth, however, so we also ask parents not to provide, excuse, or ignore the use of alcohol by their children. We hope all of Newtown youth have a safe, happy, and drug-free summer!

On behalf of the Newtown Prevention Council,

Judy Blanchard, MS, CPP

District Health Coordinator

Newtown Public Schools

12 Berkshire Road, Sandy Hook                                                                     June 16, 2008