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  • Updated Infographic: Overdose Prevention, State by State

    Posted by Cameron Hardesty on December 17, 2014 at 5:46 PM EDT

    This August, we released an infographic showing states (and the District of Columbia) with laws allowing for the prescribing and administration of naloxone and/or criminal protections for bystanders who seek emergency assistance. Since then, even more states have enacted such laws, and we have updated the infographic to reflect current state laws as of December 2014. Please download and share:

     

    Download the PDF. An explanation of the graphic is below. 

    UPDATE (As of November 2014):

    Twenty-three states (CA, CO, CT, GA, IL, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, NJ, NY, NC, OH, OK, OR, PA, TN, UT, VT, VA, WA, WI) have statutes which allow for “third-party” prescriptions of naloxone i.e. the prescription can be written to friend, relative or person in a position to assist a person at risk of experiencing an opioid overdose.  Virginia only allows third-party prescriptions through a provisional pilot program.  Three additional states (IN, LA, MO) allow prescriptions of naloxone to qualified first responders (e.g. law enforcement, EMT, firefighter).  One additional state (DE) allows prescriptions of naloxone to peace officers who have received training.

    Fifteen states (CA, CO, CT, GA, MI, MN, NJ, NM, NC, OH, PA, TN, UT, VT, WI) have statutes which protect prescribers from civil liability actions. 

    Eighteen states (CA, CO, CT, GA, IN, MA, MI, MN, NJ, NM, NY, NC, OH, PA, TN, UT, VT, WI) have statutes which protect prescribers from criminal liability actions.

    Twenty states (CA, CO, CT, GA, KY, MI, MN, NJ, NM, NY, NC, OK, OR, PA, RI, TN, UT, VT, VA, WI) and the District of Columbia have statutes which protect lay persons from civil liability for administering naloxone to someone believed to be experiencing an opioid induced overdose. In Virginia, this protection only applies to persons that are participating in the provisional pilot program.  Two additional states (IN, LA) provide civil liability protections to first responders.  One additional state (DE) provides civil liability protections to peace officers who have received training.

    Twenty-four states (CA, CO, CT, GA, IL, KY, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, NJ, NM, NY, NC, OH, PA, RI, TN, UT, VT, VA, WA, WI) and the District of Columbia have statutes which protect lay persons from criminal liability for administering naloxone to someone believed to be experiencing an opioid induced overdose.  In Virginia, this protection applies to persons that are participating in the provisional pilot program.  Three additional states (IN, LA, MO) provide criminal liability protections to first responders.  One additional state (DE) provides criminal liability protections to peace officers who have received training.

    Twenty-one states (AK, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, IL, LA, MD, MA, MN, NJ, NM, NY, NC, PA, RI, VT, WA, WI) and the District of Columbia have statutes which prevent charge or prosecution for possession of a controlled substance and/or paraphernalia for persons who seek medical/emergency assistance for someone that is experiencing an opioid induced overdose.  Additionally, in UT and IN, evidence of providing assistance to someone experiencing an opioid overdose can be presented as a mitigating factor at sentencing to a conviction for possession of a controlled substance and/or paraphernalia.  UT allows evidence of providing assistance to someone experiencing an overdose to be used as an affirmative defense to an allegation of possession of a controlled substance and/or paraphernalia.

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  • New Data Announced: Declines in Teen Opioid, Cigarette and Alcohol Use

    Posted by Cameron Hardesty on December 15, 2014 at 7:28 PM EDT

    Today, Acting Director Michael Botticelli joins Dr. Nora Volkow, Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse along with Dr. Lloyd Johnston and Dr. Richard Miech of the University of Michigan to announce the results of the 2014 Monitoring the Future (MTF) survey. The survey, conducted earlier this year by scientists at the University of Michigan, tracks annual drug use and attitudes among 8th, 10th, and 12th-grade students.

    There is good news in the data announced today, which reflect declines in youth drug and alcohol use across the board.

    Cigarette and alcohol use--and prescription pain relievers misuse—have all declined since 2013.  Marijuana use rates did not increase in 2014, and, among 10th graders, both past-year and daily marijuana use declined by 8 percent and 15 percent, respectively. Past year use of synthetic marijuana, dangerous drugs that have cut the potential of far too many young people, is now down among 12th graders from 11.4% in 2011 to 5.8% in 2014.Additionally, all measures of alcohol drinking (past-month, past-year, lifetime, daily, and 5 or more drinks in a row in the last 2 weeks) were significantly lower than 5 years ago, and all levels are at an all-time low since 1991. 

    The Obama administration remains steadfast in its commitment to reduce drug use and its consequences—and we know that the best way to reduce drug use is to prevent it from ever starting. We join our partners at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration in encouraging parents, teachers, coaches, and mentors to have a conversation with a young person in their lives about making the healthy decisions that will keep them on a path toward a successful future. View valuable resources on starting the conversation here.

    Monitoring the Future is one of three major survey instruments the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services uses to monitor the nation’s substance use patterns among teens.  Information from these surveys informs strategic planning for prevention, treatment, and recovery support services for youth.  The Monitoring the Future survey produces timely results, with findings announced the same year the data is collected.

    It is troubling that approximately 10 percent of seniors report having driven a vehicle after smoking marijuana in the two weeks prior to their interview.  That is a greater frequency than those who drove after drinking alcohol (7 percent). 

    Earlier this month, President Obama raised awareness about the risks of drugged driving when he designated December as National Impaired Driving Prevention Month, and we urge parents, partners and prevention advocates to spread the word: drugged driving is just as dangerous as drunk driving.

    To learn more about Monitoring the Future’s 2014 results, please read the press release, and join us at 1 p.m. EST for a Twitter chat with the National Institute on Drug Abuse to discuss the findings. Use the hashtag #MTF2014 to follow along and ask questions of the head of our research and data analysis office, Dr. Terry Zobeck. 

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  • Preventing Drugged Driving is as Important as Preventing Drunk Driving

    Posted by Michael Botticelli on December 2, 2014 at 4:13 PM EDT

    On June 12, 2008, a drugged driver in Putnam County, New York, struck and killed a bicyclist – a married, 48-year-old father of two. The driver was allegedly under the influence of morphine and marijuana at the time of the accident.  Unfortunately, incidents like these are increasingly common in the United States, leaving more families to mourn the loss of a loved one taken too soon.

    Conversations about impaired driving are nothing new for American families. The archetype of an innocent victim killed by a drunk driver is both an immediately recognizable story and an unfortunate reality for too many people.  While drunk driving has become a social taboo, there is less awareness about the dangers of driving after consuming drugs, which can carry the same lethal consequences as alcohol-impaired driving.  Drugged driving isn’t a new trend, but with current conversations regarding the legal status of certain substances, the Office of National Drug Control Policy seeks to increase awareness of the potentially tragic yet 100-percent avoidable consequences associated with drugged driving.  In the same way that Americans have banded together to prevent drunk driving over the past few decades, it’s time we also make the prevention of drugged driving a national priority.

    According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s National Roadside Survey of Alcohol and Drug Use by Drivers, 16 percent of weekend, nighttime drivers tested positive for the presence of illicit drugs or medications with the ability to affect driving skills in 2007.  In the years since the survey was conducted, there has been an increase in both prescription and non-medical drug use that, at any level of consumption, may affect a driver’s perception, judgment, motor skills, and/or memory.  ONDCP is collaborating with the Department of Transportation and other Federal agencies to combat drugged and drunk driving to keep our roads safe.  In the 2014 National Drug Control Strategy, the Administration highlights a plan to reduce drugged driving by 10 percent by 2015, including encouraging states to enact per se (similar to zero tolerance) drugged driving laws, and to improve law enforcement efforts to identify drugged drivers. 

    If the shift in social norms against drunk driving tells us anything, it’s that the voices of average Americans can make a difference.  With the help of Americans everywhere, we can send the message that drugged driving should not be tolerated any more than drunk driving—that we are dedicated to keeping our children safe.  This December, as we recognize National Impaired Driving Prevention Month, remember how important it is that we come together with a unified message:  Drugged driving is dangerous.

    Michael Botticelli serves as Acting Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. 

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  • Watch: Webinar on the DEA’s Final Rule on Disposal of Controlled Substances

    Posted by Cameron Hardesty on November 17, 2014 at 6:26 PM EDT

    On November 6, the Office of National Drug Control Policy joined the Drug Enforcement Administration to host a webinar for community agencies looking to implement drug disposal programs. The safe, environmentally sound disposal of prescription drugs is one of the four pillars outlined in the 2011 Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention Plan to reduce prescription drug misuse, and is critical to curbing the national opioid epidemic. Officials and disposal experts from Alameda County, California also joined to discuss how ordinances might define and fund programs at the county level. 

    Watch the video: 

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  • Guest Post: Sheri Jones on Youth Prevention

    Posted by Sheri Jones on October 31, 2014 at 4:29 PM EDT

    I grew up in Montgomery, Alabama, a place where historical  roots run deep. A stroll through town was like walking through a   history book. With every step I took, I thought about the days when great leaders such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Congressman John Lewis marched on these same sidewalks for justice and freedom.

    And yet, at the same time, this city that once experienced so much progress seemed to be regressing. Montgomery’s homicide rates were increasing, teenage parties were saturated by alcohol, and marijuana use was rampant in our teenage population.

    It seemed that the pages of the history book I lived in were crumbling. New problems were emerging, and I felt helpless. I wanted to be an agent of change like the great historical giants who marched before me, but I had no idea how to begin.

    All of that changed during the summer of 2011, when I had the privilege of attending National Youth Leadership Initiative (NYLI), a Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) substance abuse prevention training program that teaches teens like me how to take action to reduce drug use in their communities. The program did more than equip me with the tools to become an agent of change. It ignited something inside me. As Mark Twain said, the two most important days of our lives are the day we are born and the day we find out why. It seemed that ever since that first important day, I had struggled to figure out the “why” of my life. That summer in NYLI, after realizing I could make a difference in my home town, I experienced the second most important part of my life – my purpose.

    As a young person new to the anti-drug movement, I learned that substance use prevention is not about seeing immediate change. It is about creating lasting change within our communities over time. I also learned that progress occurs only when courageous, skillful leaders seize opportunities and work for change. My NYLI experience gave me confidence to step out as never before – to speak without fear before my city council, county commissioners, and community leaders about how they could be part of a movement not only to get our community back to where it once had been, but to push it forward even further. Working with other young people from my coalition, I hosted events and youth forums to seek ways to tackle the problems that plagued our communities. With our shared vision and productive collaboration, we were able to bind the pages of history back together and begin a new chapter of change.

    Now, as a sophomore at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee, I contribute to the betterment of the community by working with the Nashville Prevention Partnership, a local substance use prevention coalition, to address underage drinking. The experience has shown me that anyone, even young people like myself, can help restore shattered communities and build structures of effective and lasting change.

     

    Sheri Jones is a trainer with the National Youth Leadership Initiative, a program of Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA). 

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  • In Juvenile Justice, Community Involvement is Key to Substance Abuse Prevention

    Posted by Susan Richardson on October 16, 2014 at 4:44 PM EDT

    Local artists in Snohomish County, Washington, are contributing their time, tools, and studio space to mentor teens recently involved in their community’s juvenile justice system. For eight weeks, the youth will learn art and photography skills, then produce artwork documenting their lives, families, and communities. Some of their efforts will be featured in local art venues or the local newspaper.

    The teens are participants in Promising Arts in Recovery (PAIR), part of Snohomish County’s local Reclaiming Futures program. The goal of PAIR is to establish social and job skills by connecting local artists with at-risk teens who are involved in the juvenile justice system and may be undergoing treatment for substance use or mental health issues. Through programs like PAIR that offer workshops, internships, or job-shadowing opportunities, local professionals are not only helping these young people develop skills necessary to be active citizens, they are helping to rebuild a community around prevention.

    In recognition of National Substance Abuse Prevention Month, we reflect on the critical need for community involvement programs that create sustainable, long-term solutions to help prevent American teens from using drugs and alcohol. At Reclaiming Futures, a national model applied in 18 states to improve juvenile justice systems, we believe that community involvement helps create a culture of prevention.

    The mission of Reclaiming Futures is to help teens trapped in the cycle of drugs, alcohol, and crime by improving access to resources through collaboration among court services, treatment service providers, educators, families, and communities. We focus on getting teens more treatment and better treatment. But equally important is connecting them with activities beyond treatment that, like PAIR, establish behaviors to help them stay drug- and crime-free. It is this beyond treatment element that has the potential to propel a new community identity around prevention. These programs help to build a network of caring individuals invested in teens’ success. Once established, the programs have the ability to reach young people early to counter peer pressure and adverse childhood experiences that may lead to substance use.

    Devoting resources to community-rooted solutions and conversation about prevention can help America’s youth connect with support systems that will aid in the success of their futures.

    The Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) is also championing community-rooted solutions through its Drug-Free Communities Support Program, which enables local community coalitions across the country establish and strengthen collaboration with public and private agencies to amplify youth substance abuse prevention efforts.

    Susan Richardson is national executive director for Reclaiming Futures. Formerly, she was a senior program officer in the health care division of the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust in North Carolina, where she led a three-year effort involving the state’s juvenile justice and treatment leaders to adopt the Reclaiming Futures model by juvenile courts in six North Carolina counties. 

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  • 2014 Drug-Free Communities Grant Awards Announced

    Posted by ONDCP Staff on October 10, 2014 at 12:00 PM EDT

    The Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) has announced that Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Support Program grants totaling $84 million will be awarded in 2014 to 680 community coalitions across the country. ONDCP Acting Director Michael Botticelli announced the grants on October 8 – during National Substance Abuse Prevention Month – at a Town Hall Meeting on substance use in Bangor, Maine. Among the 680 funded DFC coalitions in 2014 are 197 new grantees.

    680 Drug-Free Communities Program Grantees for Fiscal Year 2014At the heart of the DFC program is the philosophy that local problems require local solutions. DFC grantees involve a cross-section of the communities they serve, with active participation from youth, parents, schools, businesses, media, local government, law enforcement, and other local agencies. The DFC Program is the only Federal drug prevention program that provides funding directly to local communities.

    Since 1998, ONDCP has awarded more than 2,000 DFC grants to local communities in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, Palau, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Federated States of Micronesia. Long-term analyses have shown that past-month use of alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana declined significantly from 2002 to 2012 among middle school and high school students in DFC communities.

    Click here to learn more about the Drug-Free Communities Support Program.

    For more information about National Substance Abuse Prevention Month, click here. 

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  • Why Academic Success Means More than Getting into College

    Posted by David Mineta and Frances Harding on October 1, 2014 at 5:18 PM EDT

    Today marks the beginning of National Substance Abuse Prevention Month, sponsored by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). This national observance calls attention to the essential role substance use prevention plays in promoting safe and healthy communities.

    The theme for this year’s observance is Prevent. Achieve. Succeed. We know that substance use can stand in the way of academic achievement and success. In addition, poor grades and disinterest in school increase the chances that a teen will use harmful substances. According to SAMHSA’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), youth ages 12 to 17 who have a “D” or lower grade average are two-to-three times more likely to use illicit drugs and cigarettes, compared to their peers who have a grade average better than “D.” [1]

    On the other hand, there are many benefits of strong academic performance, including knowledge gained in class, competitive advantage for getting into college, and better job opportunities in the future. Youth who do well academically and have a sense of belonging in school are less likely to use substances.

    In honor of National Substance Abuse Prevention Month, we urge you to do something to encourage a young person’s positive growth and development, directly or indirectly. For example, you might decide to hold a potluck with neighbors to share resources on how to talk with children about alcohol use and discuss how to support each other in doing so. Or, you may focus on building your family’s resilience by spending time with your kids, listening to them, and encouraging their interest in constructive activities and hobbies. (Start early—see SAMHSA’s Building Blocks for a Healthy Future for resources and materials to help children ages 3-6 make decisions, gain confidence, and improve self-esteem.)

    You can also start thinking ahead to SAMHSA's National Prevention Week—May 17-23, 2015—a time when people across the country come together to make a positive difference in the health and well-being of their community.

    No matter how you choose to take part, know that you’re contributing to a positive, nationwide effort—an effort that will continue after October 31st. Prevention efforts never end, and with good reason. With each generation comes the collective responsibility to keep young people out of harm’s way; to educate them about healthy choices; and to build their decision-making skills so that when they come to a fork in the road, they choose the path to a healthy, happy, and successful life.

    [1] SAMHSA, 2013 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, Detailed Tables, Table 3.25B (September 2014).

    David Mineta is the Deputy Director for Demand Reduction, Office of National Drug Control Policy.

    Frances M. Harding is the Director of SAMHSA’s Center for Substance Abuse Prevention. 

     

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  • Register for National Substance Abuse Prevention Month Twitter Chat

    Posted by ONDCP Staff on October 1, 2014 at 2:13 PM EDT

    You're invited to participate in the National Substance Abuse Prevention Month Twitter chat on Tuesday, October 14, 2014 at 7:00 p.m. ET to discuss substance abuse prevention among youth.

    Please join David Mineta, the Office of National Drug Control Policy’s Deputy Director of Demand Reduction, Ritankar Das, Chair of the Science & Engineering Festival (USASEF) Youth Advisory Board; Jack Andraka USASEF Youth Advisory Board Member, and young leaders from the National Youth Leadership Institute.

    Far too many young people with bright futures are limited by drug use. By addressing this issue, we can educate our youth and prepare them to face the world’s challenges. By participating in the chat, you will learn useful tips on how to incorporate primary prevention into your community and the nexus between substance use and academic achievement. 

    We look forward to hearing your questions and ideas about how we can make sure our kids are drug-free, ready to learn, and achieving academically.

    Here are three simple steps you can take to join in:

    1. Tweet your questions and replies using the hashtag #PrevMonth on Oct. 14 at 7 p.m.
    2. Register for the Twitter chat on whitehouse.gov. 
    3. Follow @ONDCP for updates.

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  • Recovery at the White House: Celebrating 25 Years

    Posted by Cameron Hardesty on September 18, 2014 at 5:54 PM EDT

    Yesterday, the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) hosted an event in honor of National Drug and Alcohol Addiction Recovery Month, called “Recovery at the White House: Celebrating 25 years.”  Television journalist and recovery advocate Laurie Dhue moderated a panel of other recovery advocates who shared their personal stories about addiction, and participated in a discussion about their journeys to recovery.  

    The panel consisted of Cris Carter, a former NFL football player and current ESPN announcer in recovery; Christina Huffington, a young person in recovery; Ruben Castaneda, a Washington Post reporter and author of the book that chronicles his own journey to recovery, S Street Rising; and Tim Wilson, mayor of Brooklyn Center, Minnesota.  The panelists’ personal stories emphasized the fact that addiction is a disease—not a product of personal failings—and their accomplishments demonstrate the power of recovery in living a successful life.

    “We are not bad people trying to get good—we are sick people trying to get well,” said moderator Laurie Dhue, opening the panel.  “We’re not in a basement somewhere.  We’re at the White House talking about addiction and recovery.”  Laurie’s poignant words served as a reminder of the power of candor and community, and bolstered the message that no one has to be alone when it comes to substance use disorders.

    Three women from N Street Village, a community of empowerment and recovery for women, and Theatre Lab D.C. shared an inspirational performance about recovery.  “Not addicted to drugs—but addicted to life,” an evocative line during the trio’s amalgam of song and spoken-word poetry, highlighted the self-restoration that accompanies recovery.

    Recovery Month, now in its 25th year, celebrates prevention, treatment, and of course recovery from drug and alcohol addiction.   Recovery Month underscores the importance of mental health and addiction treatment services in promoting lives free of substance use disorders.  Through Recovery Month events, the Administration spreads the positive message that people can and do recover—recognizing the accomplishments of the millions of Americans currently in recovery, and encouraging those suffering with addiction to seek the treatment necessary for improving their own lives.

    For more information on National Drug and Alcohol Addiction Recovery Month, visit recoverymonth.gov or check out the Americans in Recovery Facebook page. You can watch archived video of the event here and see a Storify from the entire day. 

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