HEALTH UNITS KICK OFF DRUG AWARENESS WEEK

PARRY SOUND -- This year's Drug Awareness Week runs November 19-24. During
this week the RISK Project of Muskoka-Parry Sound, the Muskoka-Parry Sound
Health Unit, and a number of community partners are taking part in
activities to inform people about how to reduce the risk of alcohol-related
problems and injuries.

In Muskoka, Ontario Students Against Impaired Driving (OSAID) groups at
Huntsville and Gravenhurst High Schools are delivering anti-impaired
driving messages to fellow students through displays and other inter-active
activities. At Almaguin Highlands Secondary School in East Parry Sound,
OSAID is sponsoring a guest speaker who will talk at a school assembly
about decision-making and impaired driving.

Several local cable stations are running a 20-minute video called "For the
Record" during their community programming hour. This video, produced by
the Ontario Drug Awareness Partnership and PAD Drug Education and Support
Services, is the story of a group of young adults at an after-grad party
and their reaction to one of their friends who ends up with alcohol
poisoning. This video is geared to young adults and raises the serious
issues of binge drinking and alcohol poisoning.

During Drug Awareness Week, RISK is distributing its second issue of
"Health Wise", a free newsletter for older adults that deals with
prescription medication and alcohol use. This topic of this issue is the
use of herbal remedies. "Health Wise" comes out three times a year and is
distributed throughout Muskoka-Parry Sound to seniors' clubs, retirement
homes, libraries, pharmacies and hospitals. Drug Awareness Week will also
see the launch of a media campaign that runs through until the middle of
December. The campaign consists of newspaper and radio ads and press
releases that provide useful information about the ways to reduce the risk
of injury or harm from drinking alcohol.

RISK is a substance abuse and injury prevention program funded by the
Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care through the Muskoka-Parry Sound
Health Unit and community partners. Using the slogan "Reduce It", RISK's
goal is to reduce the problems and injuries associated with alcohol and
other drug use in Muskoka-Parry Sound. Drug Awareness Week is just one of
the many initiatives and activities undertaken by RISK. For more
information contact Megan Williams at the Muskoka-Parry Sound Health Unit,
789-8813.