About Us
Medication Safety Program
Very often unused prescription medications find their way into the wrong hands. Prevent substance misuse before it starts by practicing safe use, safe storage, and safe disposal. This medication safety project is funded by a SAMHSA grant T108178 and created in collaboration with the WNY Prevention Resource Center and the NYS Office of Addiction Services and Supports, OASAS.
FREE and
ANONYMOUS
NO QUESTIONS
ASKED
Liquids and sharps (needles) will not be
accepted
Find a Drop Box in Your Area
Substance misuse prevention coalitions are present in many of our local communities across the WNY Region. They provide an array of resources and support to address prevention needs as well as he promotion of healthy and strong communities. For more information on resources within your community or becoming a member of a coalition in your area see below:
Erie County
Cattaraugus County
Genesee County
Niagara County
Orleans County
Permanent Rx Drop Box Sites
Use the map below to find an RX dropbox near you.
Drinking During the Holiday Season
After the Fourth of July, the period between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day (spiking on Thanksgiving itself, Christmas Eve, and New Year's Eve) accounts for the most extreme cases of alcohol consumption.
Binge Drinking Around the Holidays
Drinking during holidays is a relatively normal practice. Forbes magazine even listed "Ten Reasons to Drink during the Holidays," mentioning the sociable nature of the reasons behind holidays, whether at the height of summer or the dead of winter. Old friends and family members visit, companies host holiday parties, and streets are decorated with Christmas lights, little American flags, or Halloween pumpkins. It's hard not to celebrate, says Forbes.
There are other reasons that people drink during the holidays, and not all of them are happy. For many, holidays are a time of loneliness and stress; not everyone enjoys mingling at an office party, and having old friends and seldom-seen relatives under the same roof can lead to embarrassing situations. Financial and economic difficulty is a real problem when there is pressure to buy something to celebrate the occasion while still struggling to pay bills and rent. In this context, it's hard not to drown sorrows in alcohol.
Given this confluence, Forbes writes that "it is hardly surprising that many people indulge in seasonal binge-drinking." The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States notes that a quarter of the $49-billion-a-year distilled spirits industry's profits come from the month between Thanksgiving and the New Year. So strong is the temptation to drink during holiday weekends, that even people who are moderate consumers of alcohol tend to increase their drinking rates. The study that discovered this also noted that most Americans have no idea what high-risk drinking looks like, which lulls them into a false sense of security regarding their limits.
Around the holidays, this becomes a dangerous and often deadly series of risk factors. Not only do people drink more, but there are more cars out on the road, more people driving late at night, and during the Christmas season, in bad weather.
Marijuana
National Drug Take Back Day
April 24, 2021
SPOTLIGHT
FOCUS of Lancaster and Depew handed out 150 Deterra bags and informational resources related to substance use and misuse prevention on National Drug Take Back Day. Job well done, FOCUS!
National Prevention Week
May 9th - 15th, 2021
MONDAY
May 10th
Preventing Prescription and Opioid Drug Misuse
TUESDAY
May 11th
Preventing Underage Drinking & Alcohol Misuse
WEDNESDAY
May 12th
Preventing Illicit Drug Use and Youth Marijuana Use
THURSDAY
May 13th
Preventing Youth Tobacco Use (includes e-cigarettes & vaping)
FRIDAY
May 14th
Preventing Suicide
Millions of Americans have a substance use disorder. Find a treatment facility near you.
1-800-273-TALK (8255)
Free and confidential support for people in distress, 24/7
Underage Drinking
Prom & Graduation Season
As hundreds of thousands of teens prepare for their big evening and graduation season, there is some sobering information that parents should know before sending their child out the door. Below are the dangers associated with that much-awaited dance and graduation season.
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According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the months from April thru July see some of the highest teenage traffic fatalities of the entire year.
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Automobile crashes continue to be the leading cause of death among teenagers.
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According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, teen driver crash rates are nearly 4 times more frequent than those ages 20 or over.
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1,340 young people under the age of 21 die each year in alcohol-related automobile crashes.
Community Substance Abuse and Misuse
American teens and adults may be more likely to try illegal or recreational drugs for the first time over the summer than at other times of year, a new study suggests.
In 2017 alone, more than 3 million Americans tried cannabis for the first time, while more than 1 million people tried cocaine and almost 800,000 people tried LSD or ecstasy, researchers report in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
Researchers theorize that summer offers more idle time, as well as social activities, including outdoor dance festivals and parties that increase exposure to drugs.
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Initiation of each of the drugs was significantly more likely to occur in summer than in other months.
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30% increase of initiation of marijuana use
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28% increase of initiation of cocaine use
National Medicine Abuse Awareness
It's Officially National Medicine Abuse Awareness Month
Help raise awareness of the dangers of OTC cough medicine and prescription (Rx) drug misuse during National Medicine Abuse Awareness Month (NMAAM) throughout October. Take part in the Dose of Prevention Challenge, which promotes community engagement through a variety of virtual events and activitites.
The Red Ribbon Campaign is the oldest and largest drug prevention program in the nation, reaching millions of young people during Red Ribbon Week, October 23rd to October 31st each year.
WHAT IS RED RIBBON WEEK?
It is an ideal way for people and communities to united and takes a visible stand against drugs. Show your personal commitment to a drug-free lifestyle through the symbol of the Red Ribbon, October 23 - 31st. The mission of the Red Ribbon Campaign® is to present a unified and visible commitment towards the creation of a drug-free America.
WHO?
The National Family Partnership is the sponsor of the National Red Ribbon Week® Celebration. We are helping citizens across the country come together to keep children, families, and communities safe, healthy and drug-free, through parent training, networking, and sponsoring the National Red Ribbon Campaign®.
WHY?
The National Family Partnership organized the first Nationwide Red Ribbon Campaign in response to the murder of Drug Enforcement Agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena. Camarena was tortured and killed in Mexico in 1985. After his murder, angered parents and youth in communities across the country began wearing Red Ribbons as a symbol of their commitment to raise awareness of the killing and destruction cause by drugs in America.
HOW?
Plan a Red Ribbon celebration using materials from Nimco, Inc. Order Red Ribbon-themed items for your classroom, office, or home and show your support for living drug-free! Proceeds from the sale of Red Ribbon-themed merchandise help us to continue to promote drug prevention education. Visit Nimcoinc.com.
Participate in the National Red Ribbon Theme Contest. Each year a new theme is chosen through a national contest. The contest starts in January and runs through December 4. By participating in the theme contest, you are helping to increase the awareness and effectiveness of Red Ribbon Week. Join us! Learn more about the contest by visiting redribbon.org/theme.