Prescription Drug Take-Back Day Set

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is asking for your help. As you know, prescription drugs are being misused and abused at alarming rates throughout the United States. As part of our efforts to address this problem, the DEA will be collecting potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs for destruction at sites across Marshall County on Saturday, September 25th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The service is free and anonymous.
Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are increasing at alarming rates, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, many Americans do not know how to properly dispose of their unused medicine, often flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash; both potential safety and health hazards.
The Marshall County Anti-Drug Coalition encourages you to take part in the program. Click here for a complete list of drop-off sites. Make sure you check back often. The site will be continuously updated with new drop-off sites.

WV Medical Journal - Special Edition on Substance Abuse

The latest edition of the WV Medical Journal is a special edition focusing on substance abuse. Content includes: --Take Care WV RX Abuse Prevention PSA (PAGE 17)--Bringing All the Players to the Table: The WV Controlled Substance Advisory Board (PAGE 22)--Understanding the Cultures of Prescription Drug Abuse, Misuse, Addiction and Diversion (PAGE 64(articles by WV Partnership member Dr. Mike O’Neil)--Citation of the Governor’s Plan to Address Substance Abuse in WV (PAGE 28)--Preliminary Evaluation of the WV Prescription Drug Abuse Quitline (PAGE 38)--A Comprehensive Checklist for Prevention (PAGE 54)

West Virginians Most Medicated

A study by Forbes magazine says West Virginia is the most medicated state in the country.
The study says the average WV resident fills about 18.4 prescriptions each year. The national average is 11.6. The mountain state also ranked No. 1 last year.
The study suggests one reason may be that West Virginia residents are generally older and less healthy than those in other states. The state has the nation's highest rates for smoking, arthritis and population of those who are obese or overweight.

Marshall County Anti-Drug Coalition September Meeting

The next Marshall County Anti-Drug Coalition meeting will be held on September 10th at noon in the Historic Federal Building, 324 7th Street, Moundsville, WV. All community members, young and old, who are interested in helping to reduce substance abuse in our county are welcome to attend. For further information or to RSVP, contact the Marshall County FRN @ 304-845-3300.

Smokeless Tobacco Products a Potential Poison for Children

Smokeless tobacco products may look like candy to young children, but these alternative nicotine products can be poisonous if they fall into small hands and mouths. Dissolvable candy-like smokeless tobacco pellets can be tempting for children because they resemble Tic Tac candies both in their shape and packaging and are flavored with cinnamon or mint.
The Food and Drug Administration outlawed tobacco that tastes like fruit, candy or cloves in 2009 because the flavors mask the tobacco taste and appeal to adolescents. Non-tobacco flavored nicotine products still are sold legally, however. One of the most common calls parents make to poison control centers is about children who eat tobacco products. Most children are under age 6, and more than 70% are under 1 year of age, according to a study in Pediatrics, the journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Smokeless products contain an average of 0.83 milligrams (mg) of nicotine. Ingesting just 1 mg of nicotine can cause a child to become nauseous and vomit. Larger doses can cause more severe reactions, including weakness, convulsions, unresponsiveness and rapid breathing.
The AAP has some great tips for parents who suspect their young child has swallowed tobacco or nicotine products.
If the child still has some of the product in his or her mouth, make the child spit it out or remove it with your fingers.
Keep the substance and package, if available, in case the child has a reaction.
If the child is not conscious or breathing or seems to be having convulsions or a seizure, call 911 or your local emergency number immediately. Otherwise, call the poison center hotline at 1-800-222-1222 for instructions.

The Most Beautiful Sport has the Ugliest Habit

It is as common as hot dogs and Crakerjacks when you go to a baseball game, players using smokeless tobacco. But a new campaign to stop the dangerous habit may help athletes finally spit out tobacco for good. To find out more, click here.

New Drug Mimics Marijuana

A blend of herbs laced with synthetic marijuana known popularly as K2 is being sold openly in head shops and online, often sending people who smoke it to hospitals with symptoms ranging from soaring heart rates to paranoia to near-death experiences, according to health professionals. Several states have already banned the substance. To read more about K2 and its effects click here. Then tell us what you think by clicking the comment link below.