To protect youth from the disastrous effects of abusing drugs, Drug-Free Tennessee is bringing the truth directly to students and the community during Halloween.

Tennessee, US, 27th October 2023, ZEX PR WIRE, According to a recent study, Davidson County has the second highest overdose rate in the United States. This Saturday, Oct 28, is National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, where Tennesseans are encouraged to drop off unused prescriptions. A list of locations is available on the DEA’s website.

Also happening this Saturday is the William Edmondson Cultural Arts Festival happening the heart of Music City. This is a chance to celebrate Nashville’s historic groundbreaking Black artist William Edmondson with a daylong art and craft fair, live music, art, food trucks, and more. Drug-Free Tennessee will be out at the festival spreading awareness and the Truth About Drugs with information for all.

Drug-Free activities are common during the last week of October. Where you may only think of the week leading up to Halloween filled with children frantically deciding what costume to wear or ensuring they have enough bags to fill with candy, this is also a week to fight drug abuse and come together with solutions to end addiction. The week is known across the country as Red Ribbon Week, commemorating DEA agent Kiki Camarena, who died in the line of duty in 1985. “Red Ribbon Week is the oldest and largest drug prevention campaign in the country,” according to imdrugfree.com. This is the best time to educate young people and help prevent drug abuse.

Drug-Free Tennessee began observing Red Ribbon Week in Tennessee in 2009 by distributing copies of The Truth About Drugs booklets, which help young people understand what drugs are and how they affect the user.

Drug-Free Tennessee is the local chapter of the Foundation for a Drug-Free World, an international non-profit organization. Its materials demonstrate the dangers of drugs through factual information and interviews with former addicts giving personal perspectives on each of the substances covered. For more information, visit drugfreetn.org.