CADCA ANNOUNCES PRESCRIPTION DRUG ABUSE PREVENTION CAMPAIGN

ALEXANDRIA, VA-Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) today announced the launch of a comprehensive campaign that spotlights a growing national problem: prescription drug abuse. The campaign seeks to increase public awareness of the hazards of prescription drug abuse and equip communities with methods to prevent abuse. To achieve these goals, CADCA has published a comprehensive tool kit and will hold five community forums nationwide in cities where prescription drug abuse has been documented.

"Unfortunately, Americans are misusing and abusing prescription drugs," said CADCA Chairman and CEO General Arthur T. Dean. "Because it is not an issue that is widely discussed, CADCA is taking a proactive role, helping community coalitions to raise awareness and deal with this growing problem."

Recent reports show that prescription drug abuse accounts for about a third of all drug abuse in the U.S. In 1999, an estimated nine million people 12 years and over were using prescription drugs non-medically.

The Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention Toolkit offers tools that coalition leaders can use to help raise community awareness, including press releases, public service announcements, sample opinion-editorials, letters to the editor, and suggested talking points. For more information on how to order a copy, CADCA members can visit www.cadca.org or send an email to info@cadca.org.

CADCA member coalitions interested in hosting a community forum in their city are invited to apply for a $3,000 unrestricted mini-grant before August 15, 2002. Each member coalition selected to host a forum and receive a mini-grant will be contacted directly by CADCA. Winners will also be announced in the August 15th edition of E-News, CADCA's weekly electronic newsletter (to sign up to receive E-News, visit www.cadca.org). The community forums must take place between August and December, 2002. For more information, contact Keyona King, CADCA Director of Research, at kking@cadca.org.

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Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) is the premier national membership organization providing training, information and support to anti-drug coalitions across the country.  Community anti-drug coalitions are local partnerships between parents, teachers, young people, law enforcement, health providers, the faith community, business and civic leaders, elected officials and concerned citizens who unite and mobilize to make their communities safe, healthy and drug-free -- one community at a time.