District Attorney Randy York and fellow Tennessee district attorneys have kicked off a statewide campaign to fight the rising rates of prescription medication and synthetic drug abuse among Tennessee’s youth. The campaign is called Deceptive Danger, because Tennessee’s youth is deceived into thinking that any substance prescribed by a doctor or purchased in a convenience store is safe. Campaign materials include a new educational DVD, two posters and a brochure. In addition, the district attorneys will be making presentations and distributing the materials to public middle and high schools across the state, supported by a partnership with the Tennessee Department of Education.
The Deceptive Danger campaign follows an increase in prescription medication and synthetic drug abuse in Tennessee. The rise in prescription drug abuse prompted law enforcement to focus their attention on fraudulent prescriptions, the operations of pain management clinics or “pill mills,” and those dealing prescription medications illegally.
Tennessee lawmakers enacted stricter and more specific laws earlier this year dealing with synthetic drug use as well. The new laws make the sale and use of all synthetic drugs illegal. Previously, synthetics manufacturers were continuously skirting the law by changing the chemical composition of the synthetic drugs. The unknown composition of synthetic drugs makes them especially dangerous, and their effects are unpredictable. Deceptive Danger complements these law enforcement and legislative actions with increased public awareness.
“The selling of synthetic drugs and the abuse of prescription medications are problems in our district and the state of Tennessee,” said General York. “The goal of the Deceptive Danger campaign is to educate Tennesseans on these issues, and to eliminate these dangers from our state.”
The Deceptive Danger DVD shows real Tennesseans fighting through potentially deadly addictions to prescription medications and synthetic drugs. Their stories reveal how devastating these addictions are. The video contains information about the dangers of prescription medication and synthetic drug abuse and the legal consequences of using and selling these substances.
“Prescription medication and synthetic drug abuse is a growing problem in Tennessee, and one that we must curb as quickly as possible,” said Guy Jones, deputy director of the Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference. “The Deceptive Danger campaign gives our DAs a chance to show young Tennesseans the repercussions of using these drugs that may appear relatively harmless to them at first. Everyone needs to know these drugs are very dangerous.”
For more information about Deceptive Danger or to schedule a presentation for your school or organization, please contact General Randy York at (931) 528-5015.
About Deceptive Danger
Deceptive Danger is a prescription and synthetic drug use education campaign organized by the Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference in 2012. It is designed to inform young Tennesseans of the dangers of these drugs before they face dire consequences. This campaign includes an educational Deceptive Danger DVD, a poster focused on prescription drugs, a poster focused on synthetic drugs, and a brochure covering both prescription and synthetic drug use and the legal consequences. For more information about Deceptive Danger, visit www.tndagc.org.
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