CSAC is looking to fill the position of Youth Prevention Director.  The job description can be downloaded from here.

Saturday, April 30 from 10 AM to 2 PM at the Boston Police Department District A-1 Charlestown Station (20 Vine St., Hayes Square).  Please blacken out/remove any personal information on pill bottles (leave name of medication); if not in bottles, place in sealable plastic bags; put all sharps in containers or sturdy bottles.  This is totally anonymous - no questions asked, no names taken.  In partnership with CSAC, BPD, and the US Department of Justice DEA.  Look for the next Safe Disposal Day in June at the Charlestown Open Market during Charlestown Pride Week.

On Saturday, April 30 at 10 AM, the Union Street  Playground (next to the skating rink) will be officially dedicated to Peter Looney as the "Peter Looney Park".

Connect2Prevent:  Join CSAC in promoting parent-adolescent communication about alcohol and other drugs

Believe it or not your opinion matters to your teenagers. According to the 2009 CSAC Charlestown Youth Health Survey, teens that reported that their parents would be disappointed if they used alcohol or other drugs were less likely to have used these substances. Letting your children know where you stand with regard to alcohol and drug use can help prevent their own use and abuse of alcohol and other drugs. Knowing how and what to communicate is key.

Since 2009, the Charlestown Substance Abuse Coalition (CSAC) has partnered with health professionals at National Development and Research Institutes (NDRI) on an important project to better understand and promote communication about alcohol and other drugs between Charlestown parents and their teens. The project, called Connect2Prevent, is supported with funding from the National Institute on Drug Abuse. The ultimate project goal is to develop an online resource for Charlestown parents to support effective communication with their teens.
   
The past year and a half has been busy for the Connect2Prevent project. In the Fall of 2009 the team hosted separate parent and teen focus groups in Charlestown to start a conversation about parent/teen communication. The focus groups were a huge success. Both parents and teens were highly engaged in the focus groups. Parents appreciated the opportunity to talk with each other about parenting, and teens appreciated the opportunity to talk openly about parents and teen issues. Both parents and teens asked for more such groups. 

We learned from the focus groups that that parents and teens are communicating about alcohol and drugs.  There were differences in parent and teen perspectives, however, in terms of how much communication is going on. Overall, while parents seemed to feel that they were communicating a “great deal” about alcohol and other drugs, teens felt that the extent of communication was somewhat less. The greatest difference came for communication about illicit use of prescription drugs. Most parents felt they had talked about the dangers “a great deal”, while a majority of teens indicated that such communication happened “not at all”. 

Safety emerged as a key issue for parents, including concerns of drug dealing in local parks, and the influence of other’s drug use. Many parents also expressed concerns about peer pressure and substance use, and were eager to talk with other parents about how to effectively monitor, discipline, and support autonomy for their developing teens in the face of the myriad of opportunities and influences during this time. Both parents and teens want the same thing with regard to communication; both want to be respected and heard. Teens reported that a communication approach that includes direct and clear communication about expectations, as well as relevant examples and stories, would be help them better hear the message and be open to communicating together.  Approaches such as accusations, scare tactics, or the instruction to “Just say No” without a clear explanation for why are less likely to reach youth. Parents wanted more information about the effects of alcohol and other drugs and ways to talk about alcohol and drugs to reach their young people.

RECRUITMENT IS STARTING for Phase 2 of the Connect2Prevent project! In this phase, parent/teen pairs from 150 households will be recruited to separately and privately complete online surveys that include questions about communication about alcohol and drug use. Information collected from the surveys will help Connect2Prevent develop programs and resources for Charlestown parents and youth. 

Keep your eyes open for your opportunity to participate in this exciting project.  In Janurary, a mailing will be sent out to Charlestown families that will include information about the project and how to get involved. Recruitment will start in January and continue into early 2011. 

If you would like to learn more about this project, contact Jennifer Kelly of CSAC at 617-726-0059 jkelly14@partners.org or Lucy Lorin of NDRI at lorin@ndri.org or 617-401-2284.

On November 18, 2010, the State Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission issued an emergency regulation banning sales of alcoholic beverages with caffeine on the grounds that such products represent an immediate public-health risk.  CSAC would like to recognize three local liquor stores (Bunker Hill Liquors, Charlestown Liquors, and McCarthy Bros. Liquors) for voluntarily agreeing to remove these dangerous and irresponsible products from their shelves and applaud the fact that they chose to do so even before this emergency ban was enacted!  CSAC appreciates their decision to be socially responsible and proactive in addressing the concerns of the Charlestown community and the Boston Police Department.

These dangerous drinks, which have been blamed for deaths and serious illness, contain 12 percent alcohol combined with high doses of caffeine and other ingredients commonly found in energy drinks. Various studies have shown that caffeinated alcohol drinks are particularly dangerous because caffeine, a stimulant, masks the intoxicating effects of alcohol, and may lead to increased risk-taking.  Research shows that teenagers and young adults are the primary consumers of energy drinks:  31 percent of 12- to 17-year-olds and 34 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds report regular consumption of energy drinks.  Combine that with the fact that these drinks look virtually indistinguishable from other non-alcoholic energy drinks and come in sugary sweet flavors, and it is hard to believe that they are not being targeted to underage drinkers.  In fact, anecdotal information from local youth workers confirms that many underage Charlestown youth report drinking Four Loko and other alcohol energy drinks regularly and in excess.

The Boston Public Health Commission is for the first time offering Boston residents free nicotine patches to help them quit
smoking. Residents who are 18 and older can call 1-800- QUIT-NOW to receive the free nicotine patch and quit smoking for good. Not only does quitting smoking add years to your life but it will also save you a significant amount of money.

The average smoker spends $3,000 a year on cigarettes. While quitting smoking is never easy, using nicotine replacement
therapy such as the patch can significantly increase one’s chances of success. So call 1- 800-QUIT-NOW today. Medical
restrictions may apply. The MGH Charlestown Health Care Center also offers an on site smoking cessation.

The program includes education, group support, stress management and hypnotherapy. Call 781-485- 6210 for more details.  See the program flyer here.

The 4th Annual Charlestown Recovery House Fundraiser will take place at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 75 West School St., on Sunday, November 28 from 11 AM to 2 PM.  The event features brunch a performances by comedians Lenny Clarke, Tony V., Steve Sweeney, and Patty Ross, as well as a raffle for $1000 cash!  The event is alcohol free and tax deductible.  Tickets are $50 each.

To reserve tickets, go to www.charlestownrecoveryhouse.org or call Noreen Manning at 617-549-3470, Tommy Howard at 617-233-7801 or McKenzie Ridings at617-224-8999.