DFC STAAND Participates In National Drug Fact Week

Drug Free
Communities of Fond du Lac County’s youth action team, Students Taking Action
Against Negative Decisions (STAAND), will participate in National Drug Facts Week
(NDFW) Monday, January 23 through Friday, January 29. This week-long observance
was launched in 2010 to counteract the myths about drugs and alcohol that teens
often hear from the Internet, TV, movies, music, or friends. The STAAND groups
in Fond du Lac, Campbellsport, North Fond du Lac and Ripon along with Fond du
Lac middle schools, will be sharing information throughout “National Drug Facts
Week” (NDFW) to spread awareness about
prescription drug abuse.  NDFW is
organized by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and takes place across the
country.

 

Although the
use of tobacco, alcohol and illicit drugs among youth has declined, studies
have shown that many teens have turned to misusing prescription drugs. Drugs
can put a teenager’s health and life in jeopardy and many teens are not aware
of the risks. One out of 20 Fond du Lac School District 8th, 10th, and 11th
grade students surveyed in 2014 reported using Rx medication that was not
prescribed to them in the past 30 days. 
The medication was taken only for the experience or feeling it caused.
Additionally, of the students who had reported Rx misuse, 1 in 3 of those
students’ source was from a friend or peer. 
In fact, prescription drugs are misused more by this age group than any
illicit drug, except for marijuana. The nonmedical use of these medicines—the
very same drugs used to legitimately relieve pain, and treat conditions like
anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, or ADHD in some people—is a growing and
under-recognized problem that puts young lives at risk.

 

“STAAND works
to raise awareness among our peers about the many myths that surround illegal
prescription drug use,” states Fond du Lac High School senior and STAAND
member, Cassidy Kahl. “They are not safer than illegal street drugs; they can
be just as dangerous.”  

 

For adults in
the community, it is important to be educated and aware of the drugs that are
found right in our own medicine cabinets – Rx medications.  Parents and family members are in the best
position to reduce access to Rx drugs by keeping track of medicines in their
home and by properly disposing medications when they are no longer needed utilizing
the local community drug disposal site. 
Model good behavior by not sharing your medications and only take them
according to your doctor’s orders or by following the instructions on the
label. For more information on local Rx disposal, please visit:
drugfreefdl.com.

 

Information
about STAAND can be found on Drug Free Communities of Fond du Lac County’s
website, drugfreefdl.com.