Bucks Promise for Youth and Communities Wins Dose of Prevention Award

Award from CADCA and the leading makers of OTC medicine recognizes grassroots organizations that help raise awareness about the dangers of medicine abuse

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA), the nation’s leading substance abuse prevention organization representing over 5,000 community anti-drug coalitions across the country, and the Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA), which represents the leading makers of over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, have joined forces to honor the Bucks County, Pa.-based Bucks Promise for Youth and Communities with this year’s Dose of Prevention award. This prestigious award recognizes community-based organizations that have implemented successful initiatives to raise awareness of the dangers of prescription drug abuse and OTC cough medicine abuse.

“While prescription and over-the-counter medicines are safe and necessary for many people, too many teens are abusing these drugs to get high. That’s why we’re glad to recognize Bucks Promise for Youth and Communities, which is utilizing a comprehensive approach to educate and address medicine abuse in their community”

“While prescription and over-the-counter medicines are safe and necessary for many people, too many teens are abusing these drugs to get high. That’s why we’re glad to recognize Bucks Promise for Youth and Communities, which is utilizing a comprehensive approach to educate and address medicine abuse in their community,” said Gen. Arthur T. Dean, CADCA chairman and CEO.

The abuse of medicines – both prescription and OTC products – continues to be a major problem throughout the country.

According to the 2012 Monitoring the Future Survey, 3 percent of eighth graders, 4.7 percent of tenth graders, and 5.6 percent of twelfth graders have abused OTC cough medicines containing the active ingredient dextromethorphan to get high over the past year. Teens report getting many of these medicines from home medicine cabinets and mistakenly believe that abusing them is “safer” than other drugs. CADCA is a partner of CHPA’s StopMedicineAbuse.org campaign educating teens and parents of teens about the dangers of OTC cough medicine abuse.

The survey also found that 21.2 percent of twelfth graders indicated using at least one prescription drug in their lifetime, without a doctor’s orders, while 14.8 percent indicated such use in the past year.

The Bucks Promise for Youth and Communities exemplifies the spirit of CADCA’s Dose of Prevention Award for its comprehensive approach to help raise awareness of the abuse of medicines in their community. They held a medicine take-back event to allow local residents to drop off unused, unwanted, and expired medications and to educate the community about the dangers of medicine abuse. The group also held a town hall meeting to spur community discussions about medicine abuse and placed lock boxes throughout the county to allow for disposal of prescription medicines year round. Bucks Promise also worked with youth leaders to distribute nearly 8,000 brochures about the dangers of OTC cough medicine abuse to school nurses, school counselors and physical education teachers in schools throughout the county.

“Parents have the power to prevent OTC cough medicine abuse, and that prevention begins with educating parents and communities about this problem. The efforts of the Bucks Promise for Youth and Communities demonstrate how local coalitions drive awareness, and we applaud their effort to bring this issue to the forefront in their community," said CHPA President and CEO Scott Melville.

The group will receive its award on Feb. 7 during CADCA’s 23rd Annual National Leadership Forum, taking place Feb. 4-7, 2013, at the Gaylord National Hotel and Convention Center in National Harbor, Md. CADCA’s National Leadership Forum is the nation's largest training for substance abuse prevention and treatment professionals and researchers, attracting more than 2,500 community and state leaders from across the country.

To access educational materials about preventing teen medicine abuse, visit PreventRxAbuse.org and StopMedicineAbuse.org.

About the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA)

CADCA is the national membership organization representing over 5,000 coalitions working to make America’s communities safe, healthy and drug-free. CADCA’s mission is to build and strengthen the capacity of community coalitions by providing technical assistance and training, public policy advocacy, media strategies and marketing programs, conferences, and special events. For more information about CADCA, visit cadca.org.

About the Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA)

CHPA is the 132-year-old-trade association representing U.S. manufacturers and distributors of over-the-counter medicines and dietary supplements. To learn more about CHPA, visit chpa-info.org.