Congratulations to Cori and Haley Finch from Grant County High School for competing at the 2022 International HOSA Leadership Conference in Nashville, TN. for their community awareness campaign about the harmful impacts of vaping. Cori and Haley competed amongst 10,650 students from the United States, Canada, South Korea, China and many more!
Project Sticker Shock
During the month of May, Project Sticker Shock will take place throughout Grant County. Bright orange, 3×3 stickers will be placed on cases of beer at participating retailers as a reminder that providing alcohol to minors can result in fines up to $500 or 1 year in jail.
End-of-year celebrations and the start of the summer months provide increased access for our youth to be exposed to and receive alcohol. However, it is our hope that the community be reminded that while it may be possible to provide a safe environment for teens, there is no safe amount of alcohol for the developing brain.
Studies show that youth perception of harm from alcohol use decreases as they approach the legal drinking age of 21 but the human brain is still not fully developed until approximately age 25. Studies also show that even just one trusted, caring adult is one of the strongest protective factors that protect youth from engaging in substance use and other risky behaviors. Be that trusted adult to say “No, not in my house”.
We want to thank the following community partners for their participation in Project Sticker Shock this year: Grant County Oil Company (Crittenden Fastlane, Dry Ridge Fastlane, Williamstown Fastlane, Main Street Fastlane, Corinth Fastlane) and On the Rocks Beer, Wine & Liquor. We would also like to recognize the following community partners that have completed Responsible Beverage Server Training so far this year: Belle’s Smokin’ BBQ (4 employees trained) and On The Rocks/Moonbird (2 employees trained).
All of our community partners, including those not listed here, consistently work to protect our youth from underage drinking. Youth substance use prevention is only possible when we — as parents, as business owners, as citizens — work together.
Prescription Drug Safety During COVID-19
In the months to come, many kids and teens will be left unsupervised as their parents return to work or work from home during this pandemic. It is very important that prescription medication is properly stored and disposed of while kids are spending time at home. Here are some quick tips to make sure your medication is safe and secure:
- Check all medication for expiration dates. If it’s expired – dispose of it. We have drug disposal pouches for FREE, or medication can be take to the Grant County Sheriff’s Office or KSP post 6.
- Dispose of any medication that you no longer need – old antibiotics, pain pills, etc. If it’s not a current subscription, you don’t need it.
- Lock up all medication. We have lock boxes available for free. You can also use any type of box that will lock or locking cabinet. Do not keep the key and box/cabinet in the same location.
It is important to remember that flushing old medication is not safe for our water supply, so please dispose some other way. Contact us for safe and proper disposal and storage techniques. Our email is grantcountychampions@gmail.com
Not In My House GC
#NotInMyHouseGC is a new media campaign that our coalition has designed to tackle underage drinking in our community. According to the 2018 Kentucky Incentives for Prevention (KIP) survey, 24% of 10th graders in Grant County have used alcohol in the past 30 days. 8% of 10th grade students report getting alcohol from their own parents, while 24% report getting it from their siblings, while 21% report drinking at their own home.
Parents in our community need to be made aware of the severity of the underage drinking problem in our community and what steps they can take to protect the youth in their homes. Parents need to be aware of where their teens are going, who they are going with, and if it will be a party where alcohol will be present. If hosting a party, parents need to be present at all times, monitor all food and drink at the party, and watch for uninvited guests.
Parents should also monitor the alcohol that is kept in the home for adult use. Remember these 3 easy steps: Secure, Track, & Clear. Secure all alcohol – lock the cabinet and keep away from your teen’s snacks. Track – know how much alcohol is in your home and how much you have, then you will know when it’s gone. Clear – throw away any unwanted or excess alcohol.
Parents can sign our pledge at: https://gcchampions.org/parent-pledge/ . Pledge to keep your teens and other teens who visit your home safe by not allowing use of drugs and alcohol in your home.
100% Tobacco-Free Schools Policy
To Whom It May Concern,
The Tobacco-Free Northern Kentucky Coalition supports comprehensive 100% tobacco-free schools
policies. Comprehensive tobacco-free policies on school campuses are powerful in reducing tobacco use
among teens and adolescents, which greatly decreases their risk of tobacco-related disease as they grow
into adults. Having such policies in place can help reduce peer pressure to use tobacco during school
hours and at after school events, as well as, create environments where tobacco use is not the norm.
There are twenty public, federally funded school districts in Northern Kentucky, of these twenty, only
ten have 100% comprehensive tobacco-free policies. 50% of the schools in our district are not protected
by a 100% tobacco-free policy.
Tobacco use typically begins before the age of 18, the peak years for trying tobacco products are in 6 th or
7 th grade, or between the ages of 11 and 13. Nicotine is a highly addictive drug and adolescents are
particularly vulnerable to its effects. Each year in Kentucky, 2,900 youth become daily smokers,
additionally, three in four teen smokers continue smoking into adulthood, even if they intended to quit
after a few years.
Schools with consistently enforced tobacco-free policies are more likely to have lower rates of student
smoking than comparable schools without tobacco-free policies. Schools that have smoking areas or
allow tobacco use in any form by anyone on campus create the aura of acceptance of tobacco use. That
significantly influences students’ attitudes towards tobacco use in general and increases smoking
behavior.
Northern Kentucky youth are our future. We must protect them from the effects of tobacco use and
from the influences of adults using tobacco around them. Nicotine is a powerful, addictive drug and
many teens begin using at a very young age. In 2017, cigarette use among Kentucky high school students
stood at 14.3%, almost the national average of 7.6%. Implementing a 100% tobacco-free school policy
that prohibits all tobacco use, means building a healthier future for all of our youth.
Thank you,
Tobacco Free Northern Kentucky Member
Hiding in Plain Sight – Nov 27 at GCHS
On November 27, 2018, our coalition will partner with our local Kentucky State Police Post 6 for a parent/guardian educational event, beginning at 6pm at Grant County High School. Hiding in Plain Sight is an event aimed at educating adults in the community about how and why youth use substances and how they hide their use in direct view of the public (including parents). We are excited to partner with KSP on this event for our community.
All parents/guardians in attendance will receive a FREE ticket to the Boys Varsity Basketball game against Ryle High School that will begin at 7:30pm. This event also qualifies as a “community event” for those enrolled in the NKCAC holiday assistance program.
Leadership Summit 2018
On October 31, 2018 over 200 youth from Grant, Owen, and Pendleton counties will be coming together for our 1st annual Leadership Summit in Burlington, Kentucky. Youth leaders from the 4 county middle and high schools will be tasked with reviewing local youth data and developing plans to help combat youth substance use and other adolescent problem behavior (bullying, truancy, etc.)
This Leadership Summit is being sponsored by St. Elizabeth Healthcare, Champions for a Drug-Free Grant County, Owen County Drug Prevention Task Force, and Champions for a Drug-Free Pendleton County. The summit will be led by Joe Markiewicz, Senior Consultant for Building Stronger Communities, who is a national youth trainer and educator that works with community leaders on effective prevention strategies and best practices in community coalition development.
Our coalition is excited for this opportunity for our students. We are anxious to see what plans they develop and how they are carried out in our community. Check back after 10.31.18 for a follow up post on the youth summit and how the community can support these projects!
Are You a STAR? Responsible Beverage Server Training in Grant County
Did you know that our coalition currently offers FREE vouchers to the Kentucky Alcoholic Beverage Control’s training for alcohol servers in our community? The STAR training is designed for anyone who sells alcohol, whether it’s in a restaurant, grocery store, liquor store, or gas station. The STAR (Server Training in Alcohol Regulations) is designed to reduce alcohol sales to underage youth and to intoxicated individuals. The training covers how to check identification, how to spot a fake ID, how to identify someone who is intoxicated, and how to refuse alcohol service to a person. The training also covers how to spot someone who may be purchasing alcohol for a minor. These are all skills that are necessary for responsible alcohol service in our community.
Underage drinking is a problem in our community, with 28% of Grant County 12th graders reporting using alcohol in the past 30 days. The majority of our students report getting alcohol from a family member or friend, but a portion also report obtaining alcohol from a store – either using a fake ID, or not being carded before purchase.
By providing vouchers to this online training program, we hope to decrease direct alcohol sales to underage youth and to prevent adults from purchasing alcohol for minors.
Any business owners or managers may contact us through this site or at grantcountychampions@gmail.com for more information and to get your voucher today!
Presidential Proclamation on National Substance Abuse Prevention Month, 2018
From the Office of the White House…
During National Substance Abuse Prevention Month, we recognize the importance of ending and preventing substance abuse. We must remain vigilant in raising awareness about the harms posed by alcohol and drugs, including prescription opioids, and their high potential for addiction. We can — and we must — provide families with the information, skills, and resources to stay safe and strong. As a Nation, we renew our commitment to improving individual and community health through increased education on the risks of substance abuse. Our investment in prevention will help to further yield improved academic performance, healthier lifestyles, more successful citizens, and safer communities.
Our country is reeling from the enormity of an opioid epidemic that has resulted in huge numbers of overdose fatalities, an influx of children in foster care, and too many families forever changed by the addiction or death of a loved one. In 2017 alone, it is estimated that we lost approximately 72,000 Americans to an overdose, and approximately 49,000 of those deaths involved an opioid. Fueled by prescription pain medications, heroin, and illicit fentanyl, the severity of the current addiction crisis requires immediate action. We must go beyond simply raising awareness about the harms and risks of illicit drugs, which is one reason why, last October, my Administration declared a nationwide Public Health Emergency to continue comprehensively and proactively fighting the opioid epidemic on every front.
My Administration is committed to helping overcome addiction in our country. This past June, we launched a public awareness campaign directed toward our Nation’s vulnerable young people, helping them “know the truth” and “spread the truth” about the risks of opioid abuse. In August, we awarded a record-breaking $90.9 million to 731 Drug-Free Communities coalitions across all 50 States to help prevent youth drug abuse. We are also encouraging adult individuals and family members to share their personal stories on how this epidemic has affected them through platforms such as The Crisis Next Door. Launched by the White House earlier this year, this initiative is helping to remove harmful stigmas surrounding opioid abuse and showing that this crisis can affect anyone from anywhere.
This month, we reaffirm our commitment to helping educate our loved ones on the devastating effects substance abuse can have on our families, our communities, and our Nation. I call on parents, educators, mentors, employers, healthcare professionals, law enforcement officials, faith and community leaders, and Americans to support evidence-based prevention programs. Through our united advocacy and awareness efforts on the horrific dangers of substance abuse, we can cultivate a society focused on health, wellness, and prosperity.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim October 2018 as National Substance Abuse Prevention Month. I call upon all Americans to engage in appropriate programs and activities to promote comprehensive substance abuse prevention efforts within their communities.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-eighth day of September, in the year of our Lord two thousand eighteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-third.
DONALD J. TRUMP
https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/presidential-proclamation-national-substance-abuse-prevention-month-2018/
Presidential Proclamation on Prescription Opioid & Heroin Epidemic Awareness Week, 2018
During Prescription Opioid and Heroin Epidemic Awareness Week, we acknowledge the devastating toll the opioid epidemic has inflicted on our country and its people, and we pledge to raise awareness of the dangers of prescription and illicit opioid abuse. As we continue our work to end this terrible crisis, I encourage all Americans to provide our families, friends, coworkers, and neighbors with the love and support they need as they strive to overcome addiction.
Drug overdoses are now the leading cause of deaths resulting from injury in the United States. In 2017, approximately 134 Americans died every day from an opioid overdose, and more than two million Americans suffered from addiction to prescription or illicit opioids. Between 1999 and 2017, more than 400,000 Americans, including so many of our young people, have died from overdoses involving opioids. We must aggressively combat this epidemic affecting our communities.
I have tasked my Administration with strengthening our public health and safety response to the opioid overdose crisis. In March, I released my Administration’s plan to address the epidemic by reducing drug demand, cutting off the flow of illicit drugs, expanding access to overdose prevention and evidence-based treatment for opioid use disorder, and conducting research to improve prevention and treatment in the future. This interagency effort is providing targeted funding to States and communities to help people in need. Additionally, in February, I secured $6 billion in new funding for combating the opioid epidemic.
As we continue to raise awareness regarding the opioid crisis, we must work to remove the harmful stigma and misconceptions surrounding both prescription and illicit opioid abuse. I encourage those whose lives have been affected by their own personal struggle with addiction or by the struggle of a loved one to share their stories. Through platforms such as The Crisis Next Door, which the White House launched earlier this year, we are building a dialogue that has the potential to save thousands of lives.
As we observe Prescription Opioid and Heroin Epidemic Awareness Week, we reaffirm our individual roles in creating a stronger, healthier, and drug-free society. In every community, there is someone who is either fighting opioid addiction or susceptible to falling victim to it. And in every community, there is someone who could lend a helping hand. To any American currently battling addiction, whether you are in treatment or long-term recovery: we stand with you. To any American who wants to help: we have resources available to support you. Together, as one Nation, we can ‑‑ and will ‑‑ win the battle against the opioid epidemic.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim September 16 through September 22, 2018, as Prescription Opioid and Heroin Epidemic Awareness Week. I call upon my fellow Americans to observe this week with appropriate programs, ceremonies, religious services, and other activities that raise awareness about the prescription opioid and heroin epidemic and to consider concrete follow up activities.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fourteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord two thousand eighteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-third.
DONALD J. TRUMP
https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/presidential-proclamation-prescription-opioid-heroin-epidemic-awareness-week-2018/
