Barbara's Blog

 Recently, Merrill Reese of WBCB Radio, the "Voice of the Philadelphia Eagles" recorded two PSAs for the Prevention Coalition to help us spread awareness to parents of student athletes to keep them safe from prescription opioid misuse.  Student athletes are considered a high-risk population for opioid use and misuse because of their greater risk of injury and also becuase of a greater op...

Prevention happens all year round, but next week has traditionally been the official week to celebrate and promote prevention! It’s up to all of us to take part in preventing substance abuse in our communities. Check out some of the top federal publications, campaigns, and resources related to each of the NPW daily themes below, and visit the NPW Prevention Resources page for more resources from t...

Geetha Arulmohan was the Executive Director of Mercer Council for over fourteen years .It was her personal mission to reduce the devastation caused by addiction in the Mercer County area. Her dedication to her work was well known in the community over many years.  Prior to accepting the position of Executive Director of the Mercer Council, Geetha had been employed at the Crisis Center at...

   On April 8th, seventeen PCMC Coalition members met "virtually" through Zoom to particpate in our monthly meeting.  The COVID 19 quarantine does not prevent this amazing group from getting together and continuing our Coalition work!   After a discussion about how we are all coping through this unprecedented time, members discussed ways to continue working on important pr...

To our valued Community Partners -  We hope this email finds you safe and healthy. In light of the recent pandemic, Mercer Council on Alcoholism and Drug Addiction has decided after careful consideration, to close our office space in order to do our part to limit the spread of COVID-19.  Staff will be working from remotely, checking email, checking voicemail and responding at t...

The landscape is evolving rapidly regarding the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), with institutions restricting large gatherings, federal and state agencies restricting travel and the Governor declaring a state of emergency in New Jersey. Considering these actions, the planning committee determined it is best to postpone the April 2nd DRUGS: Get the Facts 2020 Summit for a few months...

As more states legalize medical and recreational marijuana, some pregnant women have turned to using marijuana to ease nausea or other pregnancy symptoms. However, researchers don’t know a lot about what the effects might be and while the research is in progress, most experts advise pregnant women not to use marijuana.The U.S. Surgeon General has this to say:I, Surgeon General VADM Jerome Adams, a...

 Mercer Council and the Prevention Coalition of Mercer County are partnering with Rider University, the County Prosecutor's Office and the American Academy of Pediatrics to discuss local and national drug trends on April 2nd at a countywide forum.  The event will be held from 6 - 8pm at the Barty Leudeke Center - Cavalla Room on Rider University's campus in Lawrence Township.  The e...

Mercer Council and the Prevention Coalition of Mercer County are partnering with Rider University, the County Prosecutor's Office and the American Academy of Pediatrics to discuss local and national drug trends on April 2nd at a countywide forum.  The event will be held from 6 - 8pm at the Barty Leudeke Center - Cavalla Room on Rider University's campus in Lawrence Township.  The event i...

This week, Barbara Sprechman and Malissa Arnold  joined more than 3,000 substance misuse prevention specialists and advocates from throughout the country for CADCA's (Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America's) 30th Annual Leadership Forum at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, MD.   CADCA's Forum covered a wide range of topics - everything from ho...

Last Friday I had the opportunity to train the bartending and wait staff from the Nassau Club of Princeton in responsible beverage training (TIPS).  The focus of TIPS training is to empower participants to follow accceptable standards of practice for serving alcohol beverages.  It is a skills-based training program designed to prevent intoxication, underage drinking, and drunk driving.&n...

On Wednesday October 16, the ASYSST Program at Ewing High School Hosted an Educational Leadership Presentation, facilitated by Al Hall, CEO of Dream Catchers LLC., for the high school Freshman and Seniors while the juniors and sophomores were taking their PSAT exam.  The event  entitled "Being a Real Leader" was held in the auditorium and impacted nearly 400 students.  Some of the a...

On Saturday, October 26, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration will give the public its 18th opportunity in nine years to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs. Bring your pills for disposal to your local police station. (Sites cannot accept liquids, needles or sharps, only pills or pat...

 A vigil in a local park will bring awareness to addiction while honoring the individuals and families of those battling the disease.  An Overdose Awareness Day vigil is set for Tuesday, August 27th at Woolsey Park in Hopewell Township.  The event starts at 5:30pm and includes guest speakers, grief and recovery support and a candlelight memorial.  This is the fourth annual Inte...

Athletes are more prone to injuries that could result in getting prescribed prescription opioids (narcotic pain relievers), which can lead to misuse, addiction, an even accidental overdose or death.  Mercer Council and the Prevention Coalition of Mercer County are working together to raise awareness of potential opioid use disorders among student athletes, and to provide evidence-based inform...

International Overdose Awareness Day is a global event held one day during the last week in August each year and aims to raise awareness of overdose and reduce the stigma of a drug-related death. It also acknowledges the grief felt by families and friends remembering those who have died or had a permanent injury as a result of drug overdose.  Knowing the real facts about drugs and what to do ...

  Mercer Council and The Prevention Coalition of Mercer County are pleased to announce their 6th Annual Excellence in Prevention Awards breakfast to be held on Wednesday, June 12th.  This annual event honors those individuals, agencies, associations and companies from around the county that have made significant contributions over the past year to ensure the health, safety and well-...

 Thousands of the cannabis products line store shelves, but determining what’s safe is up to you.  What factors should you consider when purchasing these products to ensure safety?  What do you need to know about CBD and in what form should it be used?  Is it important to know where it was grown and how much THC it contains?  Find out the answers to these questions and mor...

When we know better we do better.  For example, did you know that teens who use alcohol before age 15 are SIX TIMES more likely to become alcohol dependent than those that begin drinking at age 21?  We also now know that the brain is still developing until age 24-25 and can be damaged by just a few episodes of binge drinking.  Some parents today still think it's okay ...

On April 17th, over sixty people attended a public forum at Rider University on marijuana.  As the New Jersey legislature considers a bill to legalize the commercial use of marijuana, this forum highlighted  the expertise of three individuals:  Dr. William Kernan, Professor and Chairperson of the Department of Public Health at William Paterson University and Research Director for Un...