The Tullahoma Board of Mayor and Aldermen, in conjunction with the Coffee County Anti-Drug Coalition, is hosting a Drug-Free Community Summit. Tullahoma citizens are urged to participate. The free summit is Monday, February 9th from 11:45am to 1:30pm at the Thoma Lecture Hall at Tullahoma High School. Lunch is provided but seating is limited so please RSVP to 247-2542 or kclark@ccantidrug.org.
The purpose of the Summit is to develop a community plan for the prevention of drug abuse in Tullahoma. Keynote speaker is Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services Commissioner Douglas Varney.
Tullahoma Mayor Lane Curlee said, “Many Tullahoma families have been touched by the tremendous toll of drug abuse. We, as a community, need to pull together and address this issue.
The Following are some alarming drug abuse statistics for Tennessee:
- Tennessee has the 8th highest drug overdose mortality rate in the U.S.
- Approximately 8% of Tennesseans report use of illegal drugs in the past month
- People who are married, employed, and have at least a high school education are three times more likely to abuse prescription drugs than others
- There were over 500,000,000 Hydrocodone, Xanax and Oxycodone pills prescribed to Tennesseans in 2011, or an average of 94 pills per Tennessean over the age of 12.
- Unintentional drug overdose is the number one cause of death in Tennessee, over motor vehicle accidents, homicides or suicides.
- Unhealthy habits and obesity have a spinoff effect that breeds constant pain, which can cause additions to pain medications
- The annual impact on productivity in Tennessee businesses due to drug abuse is $193,000,000.
- 47,600 drug abuse arrests occurred in Tennessee in 2010.
- 221,000 Tennesseans have used pain relievers in the past year for non-medical purposes.
- 50% of youth taken into DCS custody are a result of parental drug abuse
Invited are concerned citizens and representatives from Tullahoma businesses, criminal justice, medical, education, civic clubs, non-profits, government, media, recovery and treatment, and faith-based.
