On September 29, 2023, President Biden issued a proclamation designating October as National Substance Use Prevention Month. In the proclamation, President Biden emphasized his Administration's support of the Drug-Free Communities coalitions and their goal of reducing youth substance use.
Beach Cities Health District and the Beach Cities Partnership for Youth Coalition are raising awareness about prevention of youth substance use during Youth Substance Use Prevention Month in October and Red Ribbon Week, October 23-31.
The 2023-24 Youth Advisory Council developed a fentanyl awareness campaign to highlight the dangers of youth substance use and created a naloxone training to provide valuable life-saving knowledge and skills on overdose prevention. These projects will be shared on BCHD’s social media throughout Red Ribbon Week.
The Red Ribbon Campaign® is the oldest and largest drug prevention program in the nation, reaching millions of young people each year during Red Ribbon Week. National Family Partnership (NFP) is the sponsor of the National Red Ribbon Week® celebration and the Red Ribbon Campaign®, started in 1988 after DEA agent Kiki Camarena lost his life in the line of duty three years earlier. This began the continuing tradition of displaying Red Ribbons as a symbol of intolerance towards the use of drugs. The mission of the Red Ribbon Campaign® is to present a unified and visible commitment towards the creation of a drug-free America. A non-profit organization based in Miami, Fla., NFP helps citizens across the country come together to keep children, families and communities safe, healthy and drug-free, through parent training, networking and sponsoring the National Red Ribbon Campaign®.
For 2024, the national Red Ribbon Week theme is Life is a Movie, Film Drug Free™ to inspire individuals to play their part in fostering safe, healthy, and drug-free communities through dedication and commitment.
