Red Ribbon Days - Oct 23-31, 2016

traumaRUs, MSN, APRN

Red Ribbon Days is sponsored by the National Family Partnership, formerly the National Federation of Parents for Drug Free Youth. Since its founding thirty years ago, NFP has devoted its efforts to the well-being of youth. Today, NFP is a national leader in drug prevention education & advocacy. Their mission is to lead and support our nation's families and communities in nurturing the full potential of healthy, drug free youth.

Since its beginning in 1985, the Red Ribbon has touched the lives of millions of people around the world. In response to the murder of DEA Agent Enrique Camarena, angered parents and youth in communities across the country began wearing Red Ribbons as a symbol of their commitment to raise awareness of the killing and destruction cause by drugs in America. In 1988, NFP sponsored the first National Red Ribbon Celebration. Today, the Red Ribbon serves as a catalyst to mobilize communities to educate youth and encourage participation in drug prevention activities.

This organization acts as a national clearinghouse of prevention literature. NFP has developed a series of prevention brochures to help educate it's Partners with all the latest information on the Universal Campaigns such as: Red Ribbon Campaign, Red Ribbon Certified Schools, Lock Your Meds , and Safe Homes / Safe Parties

Drug abuse in the US is an across-the-board issue. The CDC reports that 10.2% of Americans over the age of 12 have used illicit drugs in the past month (2014). In my area, we have recently received warnings about carfentanil which is a synthetic opiod related to fentanyl. However, carfentanil is used to tranquilize elephants and when mixed with heroin, is deadly. And it presents a danger to health care workers and pre-hospital providers also as it can be absorbed transdermally and/or inhaled.

Drug abuse doesn't discriminate!

Many in the AN community have personal experience with drug abuse in the workplace...

Crazy Co-worker, Drug Abuse and the Hostile Work Atmosphere

The Impaired Nurse: Would You Know What to Do if You Suspected Drug Abuse?

As APRNs prescribing...

Primary Care: Screening for Drug Abuse

And there is even disagreement among nurses in how to fix the problem...

Drug Abuse Prevention Program

The personal stories of loss criss-cross the nation

W. VA City Swamped by Overdoses - recent headline in Huntington, W VA where EMS responded to 26 overdose calls in a FOUR HOUR period of time. The suspected drug was heroin laced with fentanyl.

33 People Hospitalized in New York - in one instance from K-2 ingestion. K-2 is a synthetic marijuana.

I live in the midwest near a medium size city where our drug abuse also knows no boundaries. One of our well-known physicians lost a 16 y/o son to a heroin overdose just two years ago. She is a very strong advocate for narcan use among drug abusers and has been instrumental is prescribing narcan to anyone that asks for it, no questions asked.

Another physician in our community has two sons who are recovering addicts. This family has open two sober houses in our community which serve men recovering from addiction, offering them a place to live and work in a sober environment.

Drug abuse knows no gender, race, and doesn't care whether you are rich or poor. The solution isn't clear. The Red Ribbon Campaign is targeted publicity aimed at children and adolescents. With the stats showing that drug use and abuse starts at an ever younger age, it is important for children and especially their parents to be aware of this and start discussion at an early age.

Parental involvement can not be over-emphasized. However, outside forces often conspire against even the most vigilant...