Fighting The Drug Epidemic Using Prevention And Positivity With Local Teens

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Apr 11, 2018, 05:00 ET

WASHINGTON, April 11, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, Mentor Foundation USA will host approximately 200 DC-area high school students at the House of Sweden for a day-long event to help "shatter the myths" around drug misuse. Students will interact with a top U.S. scientist from the National Institutes of Health and inspiring guest speakers.

As the United States faces the worst drug epidemic in its history, responses like the President's proposed death penalty for drug dealers have received extensive media coverage. In contrast, "Shatter the Myths" focuses on prevention and education to stop teens from falling victims to drug abuse, the leading cause of death among Americans under the age of 50.

"It will take a community effort to address the opioid epidemic, and by working together, we can make sure our young people are educated and empowered to make healthy decisions," says Michaela Pratt, President and CEO of Mentor Foundation USA.

'Shatter the Myths' is a positive community effort, bringing together government agencies, private foundations and corporate partners to empower and educate young people. The event is co-hosted by the Embassy of Sweden and the National Institute on Drug Abuse, with support from Securitas Security Services USA, Inc., Second Genesis Foundation, and EagleForce Associates, Inc.

During the day, students will learn about substance misuse both from a scientific and social perspective. They will also participate in poetry slam workshops where they can express their own feelings around addiction and the importance of prevention.

Special guest speakers include:

Dr. Ruben Baler, Health Scientist Administrator, National Institute on Drug Abuse, a specialist on the neurobiology of drug abuse and addiction
Karin Jordås, Secretary General for Mentor International, the leading youth development nonprofit organization working globally to empower young people and prevent drug abuse
H.E. the Ambassador of Sweden to the U.S. Karin Olofsdotter

The students will also hear a heartfelt testimonial from Mary A. Winnefeld, who lost her 19-year old son Jonathan to a tragic accidental opioid overdose in September 2017. "I hope that by sharing our son, Jonathan's story, we can help these students understand the impact of addiction on the entire family, and encourage them to communicate openly about their own struggles. Removing the stigma, educating with science, and opening a dialogue at a young age is critical to combatting drug use and addiction", says Mary Winnefeld, Co-Founder and Co-Chair of S.A.F.E. Project US (Stop the Addiction Fatality Epidemic), a national nonprofit working to end the nation's opioid epidemic.

Media can attend between 10:00am-2:30pm. Recommended times are 10:00-11:30am and 1:00-2:00pm at House of Sweden: 2900 K St. NW, Washington, DC 20007. Please register your attendance: [email protected] or (571) 458-7051.

About Mentor Foundation USA Our mission is to empower young people to live healthy lives, free of drugs. Mentor Foundation USA is an affiliate of Mentor International, which was founded in 1994 by Her Majesty Queen Silvia of Sweden and the World Health Organization. Mentor is the leading non-governmental organization working globally to prevent drug abuse with National Members in the United States, United Kingdom, Sweden, Lithuania, Latvia, Germany, Denmark, and a regional operation in Lebanon, which includes 22 Arab League countries. Collectively, we have implemented projects in over 80 countries and impacted more than 6 million lives.