Medication misuse is an issue that has taken the country by storm, with numbers rising steadily in the past few years. These issues often feel too big for young people to have any control over, but a group of South Windsor High School students took the initiative through the Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) club.
Last summer, members of the SADD club attended a leadership conference where they were introduced to the Governor’s Prevention Partnership, a non-profit dedicated to eliminating youth substance abuse. They were also introduced to Deterra bags, a device created to aid the fight against addiction.
“SADD normally does a lot of work within the community, but when we were asked to help with the Deterra bags, it was cool because we were able to take the work that we do bigger and outside the community,” co-president of SADD, senior Catherine Downes said.
The Deterra pouches are easy to use and would permanently deactivate any kind of opioid pills, patches, liquids, etc., and make them perfectly safe to throw out.
The device simply needs to be opened up, shaken with the medications and water, and can easily be thrown away.
This ensures that unused medication cannot cause any potential harm to residents.
The students began to spread awareness of these bags and what they could do for the safety of the town.
“So far, they have given the presentation to the staff at TEMS, the Town Council, the Board of Education, and the PAC group at the high school. The SADD club is truly making a difference in our community,” club advisor, Kathleen Reed, told The Prowl.
On February 27th, Morgan Reed, Catherine Downes, Elise Suffish, Klaudia Panek, and Finn Jennings presented in front of the state government representing the SADD club to propose Opiod Deactivation Pouches, an idea the club has been working on to prevent opioid addictions through pharmacies and the healthcare system.
The proposed legislation, Bill 5249, would require pharmacists to hand out these deactivation systems to their patients. An additional stipulation would ensure that these pharmacies were reimbursed for any expenses they faced in the making of these patches.
The proposed legislation has the potential to dispose of an estimated 2 million unwanted medications safely. The testimony provided at the state government was met with a wide range of communal support, from Representative Tom Delnicki to the South Windsor Chief of Police.
An additional part of the packages is informational cards to help adults start conversations with kids in their lives about the dangers of drugs and alcohol, which is the main focus of the club.
“I love being a part of spreading these important messages,” Downes commented.
The SADD club facilitates many community events like this to promote good habits like the Relieve the Stress Fest.
The students in SADD are truly making a difference and are proving to the town that age does not have to limit your ability to make a change in these important issues.
