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This Week is Red Ribbon Week

This week is Red Ribbon Week across the country to raise awareness of drug abuse in our country.

 

Tony Kirkman is the Executive Director of the Piatt County Mental Health Center and says older kids will be reaching out to younger kids in their communities to deliver messages around the theme of being drug-free.

 

 

"Skittles" parties are where youths will congregate, bring leftover prescription drugs and dump them in a bowl with a mix of other prescription drugs, often unused bottles lying around their homes, and teens pick one and wait for the side effects. Kirkman says after a hiatus in popularity, these are starting to become normal again.

 

 

Kirkman has expressed his concerns about this before but Red Ribbon Week is another opportunity to highlight the fact the legalization of recreational marijuana in Illinois only increases access for youth.

 

 

This past weekend the Piatt County Mental Health Center partnered with local law enforcement and Kirby Medical Center to offer drop boxes for unused prescription drugs for the National Takeback Day. 

 

Law enforcement in Monticello, as well as Clinton and Farmer City, collect those unused prescription drugs to be sent to the DEA for proper incineration of those drugs. 

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