Northport High School's SADD Presents: Recovery, Awareness, and Prevention Week Beginning Thursday, October 22, 2015

LongIsland.com

Northport High School’s Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) will be dedicating an entire week to cultivating prevention, supporting recovery, and promoting awareness of drug and alcohol abuse.

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Northport, NY - October 12, 2015 - Northport High School’s Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) will be dedicating an entire week to cultivating prevention, supporting recovery, and promoting awareness of drug and alcohol abuse. SADD has partnered with the Northport-East Northport Drug and Alcohol Task Force, County Legislator Doc Spencer's office, the Northport Police Department, and the Suffolk County Police Department's 2nd Precinct. The week will begin with a community event on Thursday, October 22, 2015, at the Northport American Legion Hall, where family members will share their experiences with addiction. The Suffolk County Police Department will then provide Narcan training for the community.  *Narcan is used to treat a narcotic overdose.*

Following this there will be an aggressive drug take-back campaign starting at the Northport Library on Saturday, October 24, 10am-2pm, and Sunday, October 25, 1pm-5pm, manned by the Northport Police Department. The 2nd Precinct will also man a post at the East Northport Library on Saturday, October 24, 10am-2pm. Community members will also be given the opportunity to participate in an anonymous drug drop-off, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week at each SCPD precinct.

The following week, all of the schools within the district will take part in a series of activities designed to educate and raise awareness on the drug epidemic. Speakers will also be invited to share their stories with the students. The week will culminate in a press conference outside the Northport Village Hall, where officials will report to the community on the results of the week.     

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported that the United States is in the midst of a prescription painkiller overdose epidemic. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, 43,000 people are dying a year from overdoses. The Long Island Expressway has been identified as the "Heroin Highway." Last year on Long Island alone, 341 individuals lost their lives to overdose. The community is in a state of crisis, and Northport High School's SADD program has made the commitment to do something about it.

SADD Advisor Tammy Walsh states:
"My work as an activist for this cause has often left me frustrated and wondering if we have really left an impact. Particularly as we continue to see the number of casualties rise, it can seem as if it is a futile effort. This week, specifically, the Narcan training, and the drug take-back program give me a renewed sense of hope that we are doing something that will have tangible results. The drugs we are taking off the streets could stop a kid from overdosing or possibly getting addicted. The Narcan training we are providing is empowering people to be in a position to save lives. We are still in this fight."

For questions about these events, please contact Darryl St. George, Educator and SADD Advisor on email.