News & trends

October is National Medicine Abuse Awareness Month

Studies show that roughly 1 in 4 teens know someone that has abused over the counter medications to get high. Click the picture above to visit StopMedicineAbuse.org and learn more about how to talk to your teen today, and follow our social media all month for more updates!

 

Red Ribbon Week 2021 is here!

This year’s Red Ribbon Week is October 23rd-31st and features the theme “Drug Free Looks Like Me!” RAYSAC is proud to sponsor media contests and school spirit awards for our local schools again this year, and if your school is interested, email us at raysacorg@gmail.com by October 13th to apply! We can’t wait to see all the fun ideas!

LETS LOOK AT THE FACTS

80 percent (light blue) of new heroin users started out misusing prescription painkillers
– NIH

Every day, more than 130 people in the United States die after overdosing on opioids.1 The misuse of and addiction to opioids—including prescription pain relievers, heroin, and synthetic opioids such as fentanyl—is a serious national crisis that affects public health as well as social and economic welfare.

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38.7 percent (dark blue) of young adults aged 18 to 25 were past year users of illicit drugs
– NSDUH

In 2018, an estimated 164.8 million people aged 12 or older in the United States (60.2 percent of US population) were past month substance users (i.e., tobacco, alcohol, or illicit drugs).

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Partners

Blue Ridge Behavioral Healthcare  |  Botetourt County Public Schools  |  Botetourt Prevention Coalition  |  Casa Latina  |  City of Roanoke  |  Craig County Public Schools  |  Craig Prevention Planning Team  |  DownHome Pharmacy  |  Drug Enforcement Administration  |  Family Services of Roanoke Valley  |  Goodwill Youth HQ  |  Intercept Health  |  Local Office on Aging  |  Market Street Pharmacy  |  MiBr  |  Mount Regis Center  |  mpiTOO  |  Office of the Attorney General  |  Prevention Council of Roanoke County  | Radford Carilion Student Nurse Organization  |  Roanoke City Public Schools  |  Roanoke County Public Schools  |  Roanoke Police Department  |  Roanoke Prevention Alliance  |  Roanoke Valley Collective Response  |  Salem Prevention Planning Team  |  Salem Public Schools  | Thrive by Heart  |  Virginia Department of Health  |  Western Virginia Water Authority  |  YALE Program at TAP  |  Youth Haven  |  YOVASO

Roanoke Area Youth Substance Abuse Coalition

RAYSAC is a group of concerned citizens striving to keep the youth and young adults of the Roanoke Valley informed, educated and aware so that they can make healthy decisions surrounding alcohol, tobacco and drugs.

Virginia Strategic Prevention Framework Partnership for Success Initiative

Contact Us

Address: P.O. Box 13543, Roanoke, VA 24035  |  Phone: 540.982.1427  |  Email: raysacorg@gmail.com