1-12-11 — Wayne Co. to launch program raising awareness of need to properly  

secure medications

    A new UNITE initiative to raise awareness in Wayne County about the 

need to properly secure over-the-counter and prescription medications  

will be launched at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, January 13, at the ASPIRE  

Center in Monticello.

    "The majority of youth who experiment with prescription drugs for 

the first time obtain these drugs from family members or friend's  

family members without consent, making them an ‘accidental dealer',"  

said Karen Kelly, director of Operation UNITE. "In southern and  

eastern Kentucky the average age of first-time drug use is age 11, so  

this is a particularly critical issue."

    The Accidental Dealer Community Campaign will be implemented from 

January through March and specifically targets parents, grandparents  

and other caregivers.

    "We are in dire need of volunteers to help spread the word about the 

dangers of being an accidental dealer," Kelly said. "Volunteers are  

needed to assist with very specific tasks leading up to a community-

wide awareness event."

    During the one-hour meeting on January 13 a UNITE representative 

will explain the various components of the campaign, provide all  

materials needed to carry it out, and help the local coalition begin  

the organizational process.

    To learn more about the meeting or about the campaign contact Dale 

Morton at 606-271-0624 or dmorton@centertech.com, or visit the UNITE  

website www.operationunite.org.

    For more information about Operation UNITE visit their website at 

www.operationunite.org.