The Department of Behavioral Wellness was awarded funding from the California Department of Healthcare Services to implement local prevention initiatives intended to reduce prescription drug misuse and underage marijuana use.

National data indicates nearly 1 in 4 teens reports taking a prescription drug not prescribed to them by a doctor. Teenagers and young adults are accessing prescription drugs in their own home or friends’ homes.

“Our young people have access to very strong drugs in their own homes,” said Katarina Zamora, healthcare program coordinator for Behavioral Wellness.. “Our responsibility as adults is to be sure that our prescribed drugs are locked and away from our kids.”

The Department of Behavioral Wellness will be awarding the funding to several local community agencies including Future Leaders of America, Fighting Back Santa Maria Valley, and the Santa Ynez Valley Youth Coalition.

Funded agencies will use the money to implement a media advocacy campaign which empowers community members to Be a Part of the Solution through the Safe Storage and Safe Disposal of prescription drugs.  Campaign materials will provide simple storage solutions, encourage monitoring of medications, and provide locations and information to safely dispose of unused or expired medications.

The California Healthy Kids Survey identified that 17 percent of Santa Barbara County 11th-graders are using marijuana on a regular basis.

“Some youth in our community have the idea that marijuana is not harmful, which could affect their decision to experiment using it,” Zamora said. “We want to avoid that by encouraging parents to discuss the effects of marijuana with their children.”

Additionally, agencies will be partnering with the Department of Behavioral Wellness and the Department of Public Health to implement the Let’s Talk Cannabis campaign. Designed by the California Department of Public Health, the Let’s Talk Cannabis campaign is committed to providing individuals with the facts needed to make safe and informed decisions.

By sharing science-based information, the emphasis is to increase awareness about cannabis and how it affects our bodies, minds and health while encouraging parents to have open communication with their children about cannabis.

“We are excited to be able to dedicate funding aimed at getting the message out about the simple steps that community members can take that will help protect our children,” said Alice Gleghorn, Behavioral Wellness director.

— Suzanne Grimmesey for Department of Behavioral Wellness.