Prevention Council News
Prevention Council News
Survey Shows Drug, Alcohol Use Down
April 29, 2011 By LUCIAN McCARTY The Saratogian SARATOGA SPRINGS — Students in the graduating class of Saratoga Springs High School are generally using less drugs, alcohol and tobacco than their year-2000 counterparts according to the results of a November 2010 survey the Alcohol and Substance Abuse Prevention Council presented to the Board of Education on Thursday night. "Overall, the trends are starting to go down," said Maureen Cary, coordinator of the Saratoga Partnership for Prevention with the Prevention Council. Fifty percent of high school students and eighth graders were surveyed randomly in their gym classes. According to Cary, the [...]
Survey Shows Discrepancy between Perception and Drug Use Rates
April 29, 2011 By DREW KERR Post Star SARATOGA SPRINGS -- Fewer than half of the students at Saratoga Springs High School used drugs or alcohol on a regular basis, according to a survey released this week by the Saratoga Partnership for Prevention. Local prevention experts said they plan to draw on that finding, a first since the annual surveys began a decade ago, as they try to combat what they describe as pervasive false perceptions among students. "We do focus groups in addition to these surveys, and kids will tell you that they think everyone in high school smokes [...]
Prescription Drug Take Back Day
April 29, 2011 YNN Staff SARATOGA COUNTY, N.Y. -- Local agencies in Saratoga County are teaming up with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in an effort to participate in "National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day." Officials say prescription drug abuse is common among teens because they are accessible. CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO. On Saturday, there will be three collection sites open from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Those are at the Saratoga Springs City Hall, at 52 Weibel Avenue and at the New York State Police Public Safety Building in Clifton Park. Members of the Saratoga County Prevention Council say the [...]
Prescription Drug Disposal Day at Police Benevolent Range
April 29, 2011 By PAUL POST The Saratogian SARATOGA SPRINGS — Law enforcement and substance abuse prevention officials joined forces Friday urging people to rid their medicine chests of expired prescription drugs. Such drugs are now the country’s second most prevalent source of drug abuse behind marijuana and a survey of Saratoga Springs High School students, released Thursday, said prescription drug use among local teens has doubled since the last survey was taken two years ago. "We see some of these prescription drugs in all schools in the county," Saratoga County District Attorney James A. Murphy III said. He was [...]
Saratoga Springs High School students to submit to alcohol screening before entering the prom
April 18, 2011 By BETSY DeMARS The Saratogian SARATOGA SPRINGS — This year, when students enter the Saratoga Springs High School prom, each will have to submit to an alcohol screening to prove they have not been drinking prior to arriving at the dance. The new policy comes on the heels of an incident at a high school dance March 4 in which two students were hospitalized and 21 were disciplined after underage drinking at the dance. Following the incident, the school convened a group of faculty, staff, parents and school administrators to establish guidelines to help ensure future school [...]
Crime victims find, lend strength at annual candlelight vigil
April 11, 2011 By LUCIAN McCARTY The Saratogian SARATOGA SPRINGS — “My mind was racing ... this couldn’t be happening to me, I didn’t deserve it, I’m a good person,” Melissa Diggins said, recalling the night she was attacked and kidnapped from the streets of Saratoga Springs. On Sunday she spoke to a room of people who were familiar with the feelings she described. Diggins was forcibly abducted on July 23, 2009. Knocked nearly unconscious with a pistol and dragged into a van, Diggins said she felt fear and sadness the night it happened. “Fear for my life,” she said, [...]
Increase in Improper Use of Prescription Drugs Among Youth
News Channel 10 wten.com Posted April 1, 2011 Click here for video link ALBANY, N.Y.-- A national campaign is warning families about the dangers of prescription drug abuse which the CDC lists as the fastest growing problem among 12 to 17-year-olds. According to prevention advocates, more teens are going to emergency rooms for prescription drug abuse every weekend and ER visits for prescription drug abuse have more than doubled since 2004, 48 percent of those visits involve people 12 to 20 years old. "You know everybody coming to a party and everybody brings a pill and puts it in a [...]
Fashion Fling Supports Prevention Programs
Staff report Published 12:01 a.m., Thursday, March 24, 2011 SARATOGA SPRINGS -- What better way to wait out the end of winter than to watch guys and gals modeling the latest spring clothing at the Prevention Council's Saratoga Springs Fashion Fling? Part fashion show, part gourmet luncheon, and part retail extravaganza, the fling will feature a great mix of specialty Saratoga retailers showcasing clothes, accessories, books, and other fun items both on the runway and at retail display tables. Jessica Layton of NewsChannel 13 will provide introductions and commentary. The fun begins at 1 p.m. on April 3 at Saratoga National Golf Club. Tickets are [...]
Group Seeks to Raise Awareness about the Dangers of March Madness
By DREW KERR--dkerr@poststar.com Posted: Thursday, March 17, 2011 3:57 pm SARATOGA SPRINGS -- The fervor surrounding March Madness may seem innocent enough, but some prevention experts say the excitement could be enticing young people to gamble. To help limit students' exposure to gambling, officials with the Saratoga County Prevention Council recently sent information to several area schools urging teachers to limit discussions about the college basketball tournament, which began on Thursday. The goal of the first-time effort, organizers said, is to let teachers know that talking about the games during school can reinforce the idea that filling out a bracket is [...]
Two high school students hospitalized, 21 disciplined following underage drinking at SSHS dance
March 9, 2011 By EMILY DONOHUE The Saratogian SARATOGA SPRINGS — Two high school students were hospitalized and 21 have since been disciplined following underage drinking during a dance at Saratoga Springs High School Friday night. In a press release, high school principal Brett Miller said the school takes the situation "very seriously." "We’re concerned about our students and want to ensure a safe environment for them." At around 8 p.m. Friday city emergency officials received two separate calls regarding intoxicated students at the high school. Reports of a "highly intoxicated 14-year-old female" and another regarding a 14-year-old who had [...]