In response to the need for year-round prevention ideas and materials, Drug-Free Action Alliance has created Drug-Free 24/7. This site provides year-round resources to implement prevention programs in your school, community, or business.

Do you work with High School students? Learn activities for students such as Ribbon Campaigns, Daily Pledges, and Skits

More than a million teens used inhalants -- including household products like nail polish remover, correction fluids, and bleach -- to get high last year. Most teens do not realize how dangerous inhalants can be, but statistics show that repeated exposure can lead to suffocation, brain damage, and even death. Parents should closely monitor these household substances to prevent abuse and irreversible health consequences.

Learn more about the dangers of inhalants.

Know the Signs
Combined with irreversible health hazards, easy accessibility in the home, and legal opportunity to buy directly out of the store, inhalants pose a serious threat to teens everywhere. Parents should be on the lookout for some of the common signs and symptoms of abuse, such as unusual breath odor or chemical odor on clothing; spots and/or sores around the mouth; nausea and/or loss of appetite; slurred or disoriented speech; or red or runny eyes or nose.

Learn more about the signs and symptoms of inhalant abuse.

Follow these tips to help reduce the prevalence of teen inhalant use:

• 1. Initiate conversations with your teen.  Talk about the dangers associated with inhalant use.
• 2. Conduct a room check.  Take inventory on household products in your teen's room to ensure there are no superfluous items.
 
• 3. Spread the word.  Ask friends and family to safeguard their common household products as well.

Underage drinking is a growing problem in Oregon, with the rate among eighth-grade girls growing by a third over a recent four-year period. Underage drinking can lead to traffic fatalities, school failure, sexually transmitted disease, adolescent pregnancy, youth suicide and other negative consequences. In Oregon and nationally, research shows that parents who deliver clear, consistent messages have more influence on teens than most people think.

Oregon's Department of Human Services has more information and resources about underage drinking and the State's underage drinking laws. Please visit their website for more information.

Parents! Check out Oregon's statewide media campaign called "Face It Parents"

Attention parents! An exciting new documentary entitled, this place, dramatically captures today's youth drinking culture. This film shows the alcohol-saturated environment kids are exposed to and the impact of underage drinking. Click here for a preview of the video.
This is a great resource for Parent Meetings, Neighborhood Groups or for starting a dialog with your teen. Please contact GGAPP for resources to purchase this video for educational purposes.

Dr. Ellen Vachon, a certified trainer for the New York State Office of Alcohol and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) for over 20 years, created a powerpoint presentation addressing to concerns of parents in regards to prescription drug abuse. Click here to view the powerpoint presentation.