Today is Friday, the last day of Red Ribbon week. Please be sure to ask your kids what they learned at school each day this week. I hope that I have been able to give you some education as well. We must have these honest conversations with our kids. I will continue to provide information and education throughout the year. Drug dealers work 52 weeks out of the year. Not just during Red Ribbon Week.
With a person dying every 13 minutes from a drug overdose, and someone dying every 19 minutes from a prescription drug overdose, we as a country have finally admitted that we have a problem. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has called this a national epidemic. We are no longer just talking about kids. These are fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers that are anywhere from 15 to 60’s that are dying. Big Pharma is encouraging doctors to write more prescriptions for pain relievers. The pain scale of 1 – 10 is killing us. Once the hydrocodone is gone, there are plenty of street drugs that take the place.
Here is a story that a mom wants to share. She wants others to understand that this is very real. We have to pay attention.
Heroin Just Killed my Baby (appropriate for 8th grade and up)
This article and video came across my desk recently and I am just amazed at the statistics and where they are headed. There is also a short video that is very well done.
This is America on Drugs: a visual guide
There is a fabulous video by Discovery, narrated by Robin Williams. Your body on drugs. It takes 4 different drugs and 4 different people that are addicted to these drugs. They have them do four different activities and watch how each person struggles with each activity. I highly recommend you watch this video with your kids. It is probably good for ages 10 and up.
Your Body on Drugs (44:06)
Many that are addicted to opioids or methamphetamines find themselves injecting the drug with needles. However, there are many problems that can occur from this, abscesses, collapsed veins and more.
“This is a picture of my daughters arm from the last time she stuck a needle in her arm on 6/10/13. She got cellulitis at the injection site which turned into necrotizing fasciitis within 24 hours. She had five surgeries to save her life and her arm. She got a miracle. Thirty days in the hospital. Five days on life support and 8 in ICU. She’s been clean since then, but she has that scar to remind her of what heroin cost her.” – Nuncy DeLeo Sullivan
Soccer Ball Lesson
Soccer Ball is a game that you throw a ball that has words on it. Whatever word your thumb lands on, you learn about that word. Today’s words are:
Bath Salts Methamphetamine Heroin
You don’t have to be perfect to be amazing!
