WAKE UP: STUDY REVEALS 75% OF TEENS REPORT INCREASED KNOWLEDGE FROM PRESCRIPTION DRUG PREVENTION PROGRAM

Orlando, FL ( April 3, 2013 ) – Results released this week by the independent research firm Touchstone Research Institute , reveal s the 2012 t een prescription drug abuse pilot program, WAKE UP!, to be a success . Compared to a benchmark survey of approximately 3,800 students conducted prior to the program launch, data shows that more than 75 percent of all respondents were significantly more aware of the dangers of misusing and abusing prescription drugs.

According to the U.S Office of National Drug Control Policy, most teens initially get prescription pills from family and friends, including straight from home medicine cabinets. Prescription drug abuse has become an epidemic in the United States. More than one - third of those abusing prescription drugs in the U.S. are between the ages of 12 - 17. Deaths from prescription drug overdoses h ave become the second leading cause of accidental deaths nationwide, and the leading cause in as many as 15 states.

WAKE UP! , established by The Pain Truth, a Florida 501(c)(3), was implemented in to five pilot schools , thanks in part to a grant from Millennium Laboratories, three in San Diego, CA, and two in Tampa Bay , FL. T he objective of the in - school prescription drug educational program i s to raise awareness, increase knowledge, and change perceptions co ncerning the misuse and abuse of controlled prescription medications among high school students , providing students with knowledge to make better decisions and prevent first use. WAKE UP! us es multi - media, social marketing and other tactics that are familiar and appealing to teens, but WAKE UP! program developers believe the real motivating force is the science - based facts presented to the students.

 Read the complete press release here.

Visit www.wakeupnow.org for more information.

WAKE UP: Be Sure to Safeguard Prescription Medications Before Welcoming Guests In

Tis the season of giving, but as you invite family and friends into your home for holiday festivities, beware – for some, it is also the season for taking. According to the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, most teens initially get prescription pills from family and friends, including straight from home medicine cabinets.  And it’s not just teens.  

Prescription drug abuse has become an epidemic in the United States. Deaths from prescription drug overdoses have become the second leading cause of accidental deaths nationwide, and the leading cause in as many as 15 states.

“Prescription pill abusers are no different than those that are addicted to illicit drugs like meth or heroin.  They will go to great lengths to get their fix. I can’t stress enough the importance of safeguarding your medications,” says Lora Brown, MD, a Pain Management Physician and Medical Director for WAKE UP!, a community educational campaign created to combat the increase in prescription drug abuse among teenagers.

Brown says that you should always safeguard your medicine, but it’s especially important during the holidays when friends, family, neighbors and sometimes strangers are invited into our homes.  Don’t discuss what medications you are taking with anyone but your medical or mental health team, and keep the medications in a secure place at all times. Often these medications are stolen from medicine cabinets and nightstands. Addicts have been known to break into homes where they suspect they can find meds, as well as assault someone who is in possession of the prescription medication they desire.

About WAKE UP!:

WAKE UP! is a community educational campaign established by The Pain Truth, a Florida 501(c)(3), to combat the increase in prescription drug abuse among teenagers. It is designed to use science, not scare tactics, to educate teenagers of the effects and dangers of prescription drugs. The program uses a school “takeover” approach to reach thousands of students and their families with an extended program designed to teach not preach about the dangers of abusing and misusing prescription drugs. This program is unique in many ways. One of the most important aspects is sustainability through a school-based CORE of students and educators that remain present and active long after

the original campaign is complete. 

Follow them on Twitter and use hashtag #WAKEUP

April 28th is National Prescription Drug Take Back Day

Getting rid of unused, unwanted prescription medications can help prevent the misuse or abuse of these drugs. Since many homes end up with unwanted or expired prescription medications, including controlled substances, such as certain pain medications and ADHD drugs, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has coordinated drug take-back events across the country. Consumers are encouraged to use this unique opportunity to safely and legally dispose of any unneeded pills, including controlled substance medications, as these pills can only be accepted for disposal when law enforcement is present.

The next DEA coordinated National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day will take place on Saturday, April 28, 2012, 10 AM - 2 PM. DEA drug take-back events provide a safe means for the disposal of unwanted, unused prescription medications. DEA coordinates with local law enforcement agencies so that drug take-back sites can accept controlled substances for authorized disposal.

Now available online, the DEA National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day collection site locator allows consumers to search for a convenient location to dispose of unneeded medications, on Saturday, April 28, 2012. Thousands of DEA-coordinated collection sites across the country will accept unwanted, unneeded, and expired prescription medications, including controlled substances, for safe disposal. Check the DEA collection site locator often, as new locations will be added until April 28, 2012.

DEA reminds consumers that the take-back service is free and anonymous, with no questions asked. Sites will accept tablets, capsules, and all other solid dosage forms of unwanted medication. Personal information may be blacked out on prescription bottles, or medications may be emptied from the bottles into the bins provided at the events.

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Sue Scheff: Operation Medicine Cabinet

Rid your medicine cabinet of unused, unnecessary or expired prescription medication immediately. You can do so by participating in one of our prescription drug "take back" programs. Participants can drop off prescription drugs with no questions asked and receive a $5.00 gift card to local stores and pharmacies. For information about when and where BSO will hold its next "take back" program, download our schedule.

Read more here.