From staff reports
Armstrong Indiana Clarion Drug and Alcohol Commission (AICDAC) and Clarion Drug Free Coalition (CDFC) partnered with local youth and Eagle Scout candidate Chandler Fescenmyer to provide a drug trends presentation, Narcan distribution drive-thru, and medication take back event at Knox Horsethief festival.
Fescenmyer organized this event as part of a service project to earn his Eagle Scout rank within the Scouts BSA (formerly Boy Scouts of America).
AICDAC and CDFC would like to recognize him for the positive impact his Eagle Scout service project had on his community by bringing awareness to and reducing the stigma of substance use disorders.
At the Narcan distribution drive-thru event, Narcan was given to participants along with a brief training on how to use the medication.
Providing Narcan to the community provides a way to prevent overdose deaths. Narcan is a medication that temporarily stops the effects of opioids.
Narcan attaches to the same brain receptors as opioids, but more strongly. Narcan kicks off the opioids and “takes over” the receptors.
This restores breathing and consciousness in about two to five minutes. Narcan is a nasal spray that is very safe and easy to use. Individuals can obtain a free Narcan kit from AICDAC at any time.
For more information about getting a free Narcan kit, visit www.aicdac.org or call (814) 226-6350.
Members of the AICDAC prevention team and a law enforcement officer also collected expired and unwanted medication during this event. Drug take back events provide community members the opportunity to safely dispose of expired or unwanted medication and helps prevent drug addiction and overdose deaths.
According to the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 9.7 million people misused prescription pain relievers, 4.9 million people misused prescription stimulants, and 5.9 million people misused prescription tranquilizers or sedatives in 2019.
The survey also showed that most misused prescription drugs were obtained from family and friends, often from the home medicine cabinet.
AICDAC and CDFC would like to thank the Clarion County sheriff’s department for providing a law enforcement officer for this event.
If you would like to become more involved in preventing substance misuse and abuse, please consider joining the Clarion Drug Free Coalition.
CDFC currently meets on the fourth Friday of every month via Zoom. For more information, please email jdolby@aicdac.org.
If you, or someone you know is struggling with a substance use disorder, visit www.aicdac.org or call (814) 226-6350 for information on resources.