SAMHSA’s national substance use prevention campaign helps parents and caregivers start talking with their children early about the dangers of alcohol and other drugs uses.
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The Partnership, along with partner organizations and agencies in the region, will distribute 50,000 conversation starters and drug deactivation and disposal pouches to residents of Greater Hartford and New Haven through September of 2024. The pouches can be used anywhere, anytime, and thrown into the regular household trash, eliminating risk of both misuse and a negative environmental impact.
This initiative will eliminate over two million unwanted pills or medications. The Partnership will also run a statewide campaign across all media channels to raise awareness about the need for prevention.
Preventing substance use isn’t easy, but even the smallest steps can yield the biggest returns. You practice prevention every day… even if you don’t think about it! You don’t wait until you have a cavity to start brushing your teeth. You don’t look both ways after crossing the street. Preventing substance use is no different. It’s about doing the little things every single day to help the young people in your life make the right decisions for their future.
Prevention is about creating a foundation of trust and open dialogue. Talking openly and often with our young people, listening to their concerns, and offering guidance are preventive measures in themselves. How do we know this approach works? Consider this – youth whose parents talk to them about the dangers of substance use are 50% less likely to use than their peers.
Prevention also requires tools. That’s why we’re proud to partner with Deterra to distribute tens of thousands of drug deactivation pouches to Connecticut families. These pouches make it simple to ensure that unused medications in our homes are safely disposed of, eliminating a potential risk right at the source. They’re easy to use – just 30 seconds and the job is done.
With “Prevention Starts With You,” we’re making prevention as straightforward as possible, ensuring the safety and well-being of our young people is always at the forefront.
“Prevention Starts With You” officially kicked off October 30 with a press conference at the legislative office building. A huge thanks to our many incredible speakers, including Senator Richard Blumenthal, State Comptroller Sean Scanlon, DMHAS Commissioner Nancy Navarretta, Department of Consumer Protection Deputy Commissioner Shirley Skyers-Thomas, and many more! Watch the remarks below.
“Prevention Starts With You” couldn’t happen without the help of our incredible community partners, who will be helping to distribute drug deactivation pouches and raise prevention awareness across the Greater Hartford and Greater New Haven areas.
*As of 11/05/2023
Talking to youth about substance use isn’t easy, but it’s incredibly important. Use the conversation starters below to help break the ice on these crucial conversations with the young people in your life!
What would you do if someone offered you drugs or alcohol?
Have you ever seen someone in real life or on TV that had alcohol or drug use affect their actions or decisions?
Who did you eat lunch with today?
Can you think of a time that your friends wanted you to do something and you didn’t want to? What did you do?
Why do you think people take risks or do drugs?
These drug deactivation pouches truly are prevention on demand! Watch as our Co-President, Kelly Juleson, demonstrates just how easy it is to use one of these lifesaving prevention tools!
Store medications out of children’s and guests’ reach; consider using lock boxes.
Educate children about medication safety. Avoid referring to medicine as candy.
Ensure medication caps are securely fastened; twist until a click is heard.
Monitor your medication quantities and maintain a list of all medications in your residence.
Request guests to place bags or coats containing medications in a secure location in your home.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance use, help is available! Visit 211’s Substance Use Disorder page for immediate assistance.
Contact Hannah Granfield-Horton.
This publication was made possible by Grant Number is 1H79FG000981-01 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services AdministrationIts contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of SAMHSA.
The Governor’s Prevention Partnership builds statewide capacity to prevent underage drinking and substance use and builds strategic alliances to promote the overall well-being of Connecticut’s future workforce.
