Oct. 2—Thumbs up to a nearly $600,000 five-year grant from the federal Drug-Free Communities Support Program going to a local anti-drug coalition.
Adolescent Chemical Wellness Advocates is a group of representatives from area schools, health-care organizations, law enforcement agencies and others seeking to address youth substance use in the area. The grant will be used in part to hire a coordinator dedicated to advancing coalition initiatives.
As more drug overdoses spring up in the area, it's clear more attention needs to be paid to this growing problem among teens and young adults.
Among Minnesota residents in 2020, there were 14,475 nonfatal drug overdoses treated in hospitals, according to a state health department report. Minnesotans aged 15-34 experienced the largest number of nonfatal overdoses.
Like every big problem, building awareness and educating are key to combating it.