Congratulations Joan Webb Scornaienchi - Please join us on Saturday!

WEBSITE NEWS EVENTS PARENTS TEENS RESOURCES DONATE

HC DrugFree's Executive Director Renamed One of Maryland's Most Admired CEO s

HC DrugFree's Executive Director, Joan Webb Scornaienchi, was renamed one of Maryland's Most Admired CEOs by The Daily Record in the category of Non-Profit With Less Than $10 Million in Annual Revenue. The awards ceremony was held on September 17 at the BWI Hilton.

For a complete list of honorees, click here .

This Saturday - Got Drugs? National Drug Take Back Day

Once again, HC DrugFree is partnering with the Howard County Police Department for National Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, September 26 from 10 AM to 2 PM. There will be 4 collection sites - the 3 permanent drop off locations and HC DrugFree's office in the Wilde Lake Village Center. Remember, you don't need to wait to dispose of your meds. Unwanted meds can be taken to one of the 3 permanent drop off locations open DAILY year round - click here for a list of the permanent drop off locations. In addition to collecting meds, HC DrugFree will also be collecting needles, syringes and EpiPens on September 26 from 10 AM to 2 PM.

September is National Recovery Month

National Recovery Month is a national observance to increase awareness and celebrate successes of those in recovery by:

Promoting the societal benefits of prevention, treatment and recovery for mental and substance use disorders
Celebrating people in recovery
Lauding the contributions of treatment and service providers
Promoting the message that prevention works and recovery in all its forms is possible

Mass. Hospital Battling Post-Op Pain Without Using Opiates

Taking narcotics after surgery is often the easiest, most effective way to tackle pain, but for many people it's also a gateway to opioid abuse.

In a recent study, 75% of heroin users in New England said their addictions started with prescription drugs. Now a surgeon at a Massachusetts hospital is on the leading edge of a solution that's helping eliminate the need for opioid prescriptions after surgery. Click here to read the WCVB ABC 5 news story.

Marijuana Commercialization Failing in Colorado

According to the recent Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area report, there have been significant increases in traffic fatalities, child poison control exposures, hospitalizations, youth use, and additional alarming data detailing how Colorado's experiment with retail marijuana regulation is a public health and safety failure. Click here to read the Press Release from SAM (Smart Approaches to Marijuana).

Free Howard County Police and HC DrugFree Magnets

HC DrugFree is proud to partner with the Howard County Police Department and the Howard County Health Department to keep important phone numbers on your refrigerator or file cabinet.

Email [email protected] or call 443-325-0040 to request your magnet today!

Click here to read the magnet.

Are you "In the KNOW" about drug availability in our community?

According to the 2013 Howard County Youth Risk Behavior Survey:

1.1% of youth age 11 or younger say they have access to drugs at school
7.2% of 14-year-old middle school students agree
25.4% of 15-year-old high school students agree

Send us your reaction for our Parent/Adult Blog. Email to [email protected].

High School Students' Use of E-Cigarettes and Hookahs TRIPLED

According to the National Youth Tobacco Survey, the use of e-cigarettes by U.S. high school students tripled and the use of hookahs doubled between 2013 and 2014. Click here to read more from the Center for Substance Abuse Research (CESAR).

HC DrugFree's Teen Advisory Council (TAC)

HC DrugFree's Teen Advisory Council (TAC) meets one Monday evening a month from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM at The Barn (Oakland Mills Village Center) and is open to all Howard County high school students. The next TAC meeting will be held on October 12. Community service hours are available. For more information, please visit www.hcdrugfree.org and go to the Teen Advisory Council page, or contact Joan Webb Scornaienchi, HC DrugFree's Executive Director at [email protected] or 443-325-0040.

Permanent Medication Disposal Boxes

Howard County residents can drop off unwanted prescription and over-the-counter medications at 3 locations in the County where permanent disposal boxes have been installed. Boxes are located at the Howard County Police Northern District Station (3410 Courthouse Drive, Ellicott City) open 24/7, the Howard County Police Southern District Station (11226 Scaggsville Road, Laurel) open 24/7, and the Gary Arthur Community Center (2400 Route 97, Cooksville) open 7 AM to 9 PM Monday-Saturday, and 9 AM to 6 PM on Sundays.

Coming soon: HC DrugFree has partnered with the Howard County Police Department to provide additional permanent medication disposal boxes in the County...Stay tuned for more details.

Free Training to Save a Life! Opioid Overdose Response Training

If your child, spouse or friend is abusing opioids (prescription pain medicines such as Percocet or Vicodin, and street drugs such as heroin), attend the free training offered by the Howard County Health Department. Register by calling the Health Department at 410-313-6202.

HC DrugFree's Newsletters are Now Archived

To read past issues of HC DrugFree's newsletters, go to www.hcdrugfree.org and click on Resources - Newsletter Archive.

If you would like to receive any of these free pamphlets, please send your name and address to [email protected].

Si le gustaria recibir uno de los folletos gratis abajo, favor de mandar su nombre y direccion fisica a [email protected].

For more information, contact

Joan Webb Scornaienchi, Executive Director

HC DrugFree

Wilde Lake Village Center

5305 Village Center Drive, Suite 206

Columbia, MD 21044

443-325-0040

[email protected]

www.hcdrugfree.org

Help us to be able to continue providing invaluable information and resources to the community - DONATE TODAY! We thank you in advance for your support.