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.
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
Risk and Protective Factors
Risk and protective factors can affect children at different stages of their lives. At each stage, risks occur that can be changed through prevention intervention. Early childhood risks, such as aggressive behavior, can be changed or prevented with family, school, and community interventions that focus on helping children develop appropriate positive behaviors. If not addressed, negative behaviors can lead to more risks, such as academic failure and social difficulties, which put children at further risk for later drug abuse.
An important goal of prevention is to change the balance between risk and protective factors so that protective factors outweigh risk factors.
Increasing Community Protective Factors
Community Protective Factors Positive connection to other adults (Priority Protective Factor) – This refers to the support and caring youth receive in relationships with adults, other than family members (i.e. neighbors, coaches, teachers, mentors or ministers). As children grow, they become involved in an expanded network of significant relationships. This broad network includes many adults who can provide regular contact, mentoring, support, and guidance. Safe supportive connected neighborhood - While relationships with caring adults on an individual basis are very important, the collective feeling of safety and support coming from the community or neighborhood as a whole adds a synergistic component of protection against risk behaviors. This protective factor has three features: connection, positive social norms, and monitoring. Connection refers to young people’s perception of feeling safe, valued, attached, and ―belonging to their neighborhood, community, or in some cases, youth programs. Positive social norms are maintained when community members have high expectations for children and monitoring and accountability refers to the degree to which neighbors watch out for each other and monitor the whereabouts and behaviors of their children, as well as hold them accountable for their behaviors
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.
