SUBSTANCE ABUSE

A substance abuse project aimed at residents in Franklin, Hamburg, Sparta, Vernon, Stanhope, Hopatcong, Ogdensburg and Sussex Borough. is underway. Medication screenings for individuals 55 and older will help to remove outdated prescription drugs from medicine cabinets, identify potential drag interactions and provide education an proper medication usage.

"The inadvertent misuse of prescription drugs is a serious problem far the elderly," says Mary Mulholland, president of the Dope Open and member of

the Trust. "Medications should he renewed annually by a physician or registered pharmacist to prevent adverse reactions or interactions. However, most of us just use the medications sitting in our medicine cabinet without checking first. Its an all too common problem."

For teens, programs like the Substance Free Prom Night, a peer driven program that encourages voluntary compliance, and the Neon Drunk Driver Simulator, an automobile that uses computer technology to simulate the affects of alcohol. on driving, will be brought to pilot towns to enhance existing services.