Detroit - The Department of Pharmacy Practice in Wayne State University's Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences and the Wayne State University chapter of the American Pharmacists Association Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP), in partnership with the Love Detroit Prevention Coalition, will host "Medication Generation: Just Say Know" from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 18. The event, which will educate local teens about dangers of the nonmedical use of prescription drugs and underage drinking, will be held at the college, located at 259 Mack Avenue in Detroit. Registration is required and limited to high school students involved in Love Detroit Prevention Coalition initiatives.
"Nonmedical use of prescription drugs, diversion and underage drinking are major public health concerns, and pharmacists can play an important role in combating these challenges," said Brittany Stewart, assistant professor of pharmacy at Wayne State and a practicing pharmacist. "This program provides our students with an opportunity to examine real-world issues, enhance their leadership skills and be creative in solving problems. This event will allow them to experience what it is like to be a community educator working to improve the health of communities and the larger population."
WSU student pharmacists will lead a variety of interactive educational activities -- including a "Family Feud"-style game, "pharm" party, skits and role-playing scenarios -- to help Detroit-area high school students understand risks associated with prescription drug and alcohol abuse and encourage them to make wise choices. Teens will also have the opportunity to experience the effects of drinking and driving in the college's Driving Simulator Lab.
"Medication Generation: Just Say Know" was developed by Wayne State University, the Love Detroit Prevention Coalition, Detroit Wayne Mental Health Authority, and APhA- ASP -- a group of organizations committed to raising awareness about and reducing the growing epidemic of prescription drug abuse and underage drinking among young people. Earlier this month, the groups facilitated a Key Leaders Roundtable at Wayne State, which brought together physicians, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, students, substance abuse and prevention counselors, and representatives from the Drug Enforcement Agency and National Institute on Drug Abuse to generate solutions to the problem.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that 52 million people over the age of 12 in the United States have used prescription drugs nonmedically in their lifetime. According to the Drug Enforcement Agency, 23 percent of teens report having abused prescription medication at least once, and 31 percent think it is acceptable to use someone else's prescription as long as they are not getting high. An alarming 73 percent of teens indicated that it is easy to get prescription drugs from their parents' medicine cabinets.
"When we are young, we think we are invincible and may not consider what will happen to us long term," said Michael Frei, a second-year student in the doctor of pharmacy program. "Medications are dangerous, and I hope young people will learn to stop and really think about what they are doing."
For more information about this event, contact Tracy Walker at 313-577-9802 or Brittany Stewart at 313-415-6235.
About the Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
The Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences is committed to advancing the health and well-being of society by preparing highly skilled health care practitioners and conducting groundbreaking research to improve models of practice and methods of treatment in pharmacy and the health sciences. To learn more, visit cphs.wayne.edu.
About Wayne State University
Wayne State University is a premier urban research institution of higher education offering more than 380 academic programs through 13 schools and colleges to nearly 28,000 students. For more information, visit wayne.edu.
About the American Pharmacists Association Academy of Student Pharmacists
The American Pharmacists Association Academy of Student Pharmacists is the student pharmacist section of the American Pharmacists Association and represents student pharmacists at all colleges and schools of pharmacy the United States and Puerto Rico. The largest student pharmacy organization nationwide, its mission is to be the collective voice of student pharmacists, to provide opportunities for professional growth, to improve patient care, and to envision and advance the future of pharmacy. To learn more, visit pharmacist.com/apha-asp.
About the Love Detroit Prevention Coalition
The Love Detroit Prevention Coalition is a program of the Detroit Recovery Project. Through advocacy, education, and collaboration with partners, youth and the community, the initiative seeks to create a culture that reduces underage drinking among youth aged 12 to 20 and nonmedical use of prescription drugs among youth aged 12 to 20 and young adults aged 20 to 25. For more information, visit recovery4detroit.com.