Keeping our youth safe !

Keeping our youth safe !

he Education Department has been informing high school students and their parents about Substance Abuse Awareness. At Bayonne High school they collaborated with the Coalition Department to provide an engaging workshop on the Opioid Epidemic / Fentanyl Crisis to 3 groups of 12th grade students.
At Union City High School the Education Department, Coalition Department and LMTI joined forces to provide parents with pertinent information about identify substance use in teens, the dangers and types of new drugs on the streets, and methods that teach youth to reach their full potential and make healthy life choices.

The Education Department had the opportunity to provide a workshop at Sara M. Gilmore, in Union City. This workshop touched on how to communicate effectively with our youth about drugs, alcohol and bullying.

Making Strides

One of the goals of the Hudson County Coalition for a Drug Free Community aims to reduce prescription drug misuse here in Hudson County. To further expand on that goal, Partners in Prevention recently applied for two grant opportunities and was successful in receiving additional funding to address opioid use, not limited to prescription drugs, among senior and student athlete populations. Partners in Prevention looks forward to putting the funding back into the community in the form of our prevention services.

“Please ID me”

“Please ID me”

This winter, schools in Salem County were trained by LMTI staff about the dangers of underage drinking. The students were eager to see how they could be part of the solution and as a result, the students implemented our “Please ID Me” Campaign. Woodstown, Pennsville, and AP Schalick High Schools partnered with local liquor stores and bars to talk about the importance of asking for identification and properly verifying it; they also provided new signage and updated information for the establishments to display. In the Spring, the students will work with parents in their communities to implement the “Please Don’t Risk It” Campaign. This project was funded by the Salem Health & Wellness Foundation.

A.P. Schalick High School

Pennsville Memorial High School

Woodstown High School

It’s not personal, it’s the law.

It’s not personal, it’s the law.

In July 2017 it was announced that New Jersey was set to become the third state in the nation to raise the minimum age to buy tobacco products from 19 to 21. This new law, which went into effect on November 1, 2017 applies to e-cigarettes, as well as conventional tobacco products, and triggers fines against anyone who sells, gives or offers such products to someone younger than 21. In response to this change, the STOMP (Stop Tobacco Offenses Merchant Program) campaign was established to increase merchant education on age of sale requirements and help decrease youth access to tobacco products and exposure to tobacco advertising. The HCCDFC (Hudson County Coalition for a Drug Free Community) participated in this initiative throughout the month of November.Our first strategy was placing a public service announcement in the Jersey Journal. The ad chosen was our “It’s Not Personal, It’s the Law” campaign which was adjusted to reflect the new age of sale. For the Great American Smoke out, we visited 27 stores and supplied them with education packets, in addition to asking them to sign a pledge to follow recently implemented guidelines on tobacco products;18 store owners signed the pledge. College task force students and a coalition volunteer assisted us with these visits. Additionally, at our November coalition meeting staff facilitated mini-training to members in attendance so that they can execute similar visits in their free time. Last but not least, information was sent to our school contacts with resources in addition to distribution of the prevention book “Uninvited Guest”. All in all, it was a successful month for tobacco prevention in Hudson County!

Senior Weekend Fun!

Senior Weekend Fun!

 

In November, LMTI held a Senior Weekend event at YMCA Camp Mason where high school seniors from all over the state of New Jersey attended workshops and sessions to help them prepare for their senior year. They participated in workshops such as stress and time management, and utilized some of Camp Mason’s activities like a high ropes course and a hike to a Christmas Tree farm. In addition, they learned how to do all of this while remaining alcohol, tobacco, and other drug-free.