Federal grant aids Rutherford anti-drug efforts

August 6, 2008, MURFREESBORO – A $100,000 Drug Free Communities Support Program grant will allow the Community Anti-Drug Coalition of Rutherford County to continue its efforts, U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon announced.

“The Office of National Drug Control Policy reports that abuse of prescription drugs among teens and young adults is increasing. Abuse of prescription pain killers now ranks second to marijuana as the nation’s most prevalent illegal drug problem,” Gordon said. “These funds will help CADCOM, with their new informational campaign, to get their message out.”

In the last few years, surveys have indicated that although use of illicit drugs has decreased, adolescents and young adults have increased their misuse of prescription medicines, CADCOM Director Kris Delene said.

“This year, we’re beginning an informational campaign on the misuse of prescription drugs,” Delene said. “We all need to know ‘What’s in our medicine cabinet’ and how to safely dispose of expired or unused prescriptions and over-the-counter drugs.”

The Executive Office of the President, Office of National Drug Control Policy administers the Drug Free Communities Support Program.