About Workgroups
ALCOHOL POLICY WORKGROUP:
Our Alcohol Policy Workgroup works with anything and everything alcohol related. From seeking business relationships with store owners who sell alcohol to help keep their establishments free from alcohol abuse, brainstorming and creating new policies to present to Taos county such as the current Alcohol Taxes policy, and working alongside law enforcement and other coalitions by participating in and hosting local and state-wide events such as roadside bottle clean-ups, trainings, and workshops.
We are always open to new ideas on how to spread the word of living an alcohol free lifestyle. If you're interested in collaborating with us in any way, have ideas you would like to share, or would like to be part of this Workgroup please contact us at alana@taosalive.org
RX & Meth WORKGROUP:
OUR RX & Meth WORKGROUP WORKS DILIGENTLY AT GATHERING AND SHARING INFORMATION TO HELP OUR TEAM BECOME MORE EFFECTIVE IN ITS COMBINED EFFORTS TO REDUCE PRESCRIPTION DRUG ABUSE IN TAOS COUNTY THROUGH YOUTH FOCUSED PREVENTION AND ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES.
We create and share up to date statistics and facts with the youth in local schools and continue to collaborate with like-minded local, statewide, and national coalitions whose goals are similarly aligned with the focus of Rx Drug Prevention.
If you're interested in collaborating with us in anyway, have ideas you would like to share, or would like to be part of this Workgroup please contact us.
THE SCOPE OF THE PRESCRIPTION DRUG MISUSE EPIDEMIC
According to data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health, between 6 and 7 million Americans, age 12 and older, have misused a prescription painkiller (e.g., OxyContin, Percocet, Vicodin), sedative (e.g., Valium, Xanax) or stimulant (e.g., Ritalin, Adderall) in the past month1. Approximately 5,500 people do so for the first time every day.
WHAT CAUSED THIS EPIDEMIC?
There is a “perfect storm” for the misuse of medications that is fueled by:
1. The normalization of medication use in our society. There are more than 4 billion prescriptions filled every year in the United States, and nearly half of the U.S. population has taken at least one prescription drug in the past month. The United States is one of only two developed nations which permit direct-to-consumer advertisements for prescription drugs. Our society expects quick fixes and frequently turns to medications to solve our problems.
2. There is relatively easy access to medications. For example, although the U.S. comprises less than 5% of the world’s population, Americans consume 80% of the world’s supply of prescription painkillers.
3. Further, about two-thirds of those misusing these drugs report that they obtained the medications from family members or friends (most often for free).
4. Many of us have misconceptions of safety and legality when misusing prescription medications. Some people incorrectly believe that prescription medications cannot cause addiction, that they are safer to misuse than illicit “street” drugs, and that it is legal to use medications that have not been prescribed for us.
MEDIA ADVISORY WORKGROUP:
We are a combination of community members and coalition members who brainstorm and create radio, newspaper, and website ads every month. We also oversee our brochures, flyers, and posters for the coalition.
We are dedicated to finding creative ways to connect with our community through a broad variety of media outlets.
What type of questions do we ask ourselves when coming up with an ad? We think about community. Who are we talking to? Is it graduation time? Is it Halloween? Is there a big youth event coming up at any of the schools that might promote an avenue for youth drinking? How can we share information in an unbiased, useful, and truthful way?
We blend great thinking with images, videos and voice that support a lifestyle that is free from substance misuse, while simultaneously advocating healthy ways to engage with our own life.
Want to be part of this Workgroup? Click the button below and send us an e-mail.