March Is Red Cross Month

The American Red Cross was founded on May 21, 1881, by Clara Barton, a nurse and humanitarian inspired by the International Red Cross movement. After assisting soldiers during the Civil War, Barton traveled to Europe and learned about the Red Cross’s work in providing aid during conflicts and disasters. She brought the idea back to
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August is Wellness Month

Wellness refers to a holistic state of well-being encompassing physical, mental, emotional, and social aspects of an individual’s life. It goes beyond the absence of illness and focuses on achieving a balanced and fulfilling life across various dimensions. Wellness is about cultivating habits, practices, and attitudes that promote optimal health and quality of life. Prioritizing
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Got Meds Medication Disposal Guilford County

It’s time to get rid of your outdated or unused medications! The Drug Enforcement Agency, the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office, Healthy Guilford, Alcohol and Drug Services (ADS), and Safe Guilford are working together to sponsor another medication disposal initiative. Please note the dates and locations below where you can turn in expired medication. The program
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THC-Infused Gummy Bears

Eleven teenagers in Indiana were hospitalized after overdosing on THC gummy bears. 911 was called, and when they responded on the scene they found numerous teens hallucinating, experiencing blurry vision, rapid heart rate, and pain in their legs. They all had ingested a half of a gummy bear that had been infused with THC (the
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Pot Use Among College Students

A University of Michigan study funded by the National Institute On Drug Abuse (NIDA) found that college students are presently 51% more likely to use marijuana than same age peers who are not enrolled in college. This trend has been increasing at about 10% per year for several years underscoring the need for increased prevention
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Governors Institute on Opioid Addiction

North Carolina has an informative website which addresses the rising opioid problem. The address is GovernorsInstitute.org and this site highlights the issue of opioid use and misuse in the United States. Mentioned there is that 998 North Carolinians died of opioid overdose in 2015. The Governors Institute offers guidelines on opioid prescribing and also focuses
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Behavioral Health Affects Overall Health

SAMHSA published an article on their website referencing data collected from 40 million Blue Cross Blue Shield subscribers. The article stated that Substance Use and Mental Health Disorders have a negative effect on Americans’ longevity, productivity, and general health. Specifically, depression, anxiety, and mood disorders were cited as having the greatest impact on health. Substance
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Addicted Parents Risk Child Safety

It has been said there is more than one victim in addiction. Sadly, families are often ripped apart and children left unattended for prolonged periods of time while a parent is out seeking drugs or actively using. As America’s heroin epidemic continues to unravel, we are witnessing innocent victims in this disease of the body,
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Controversial Proposal to Allow Heroin In Ithaca, New York

CNN has posted a story about the mayor of Ithaca, New York proposing that the city host a program which would allow addicts to legally inject heroin at a designated safe place. The approach is a harm reduction strategy that has been reportedly tried in Europe, Australia, and Canada. Ithaca’s mayor, Svante Myrick, is quoted
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CNN Special Show On Prescription Addiction

CNN aired an informative special program on 5/11/2016, Prescription Addiction: Doctors Must Lead Us Out. The one hour special was hosted by Anderson Cooper and neurosurgeon Dr. Sanjay Gupta. It specifically addressed how the current opioid epidemic in America has been driven by the over prescribing of opioid medication. Various doctors, recovering addicts, and others
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