HC DrugFree

11/25/2025

Not just for parents and guardians! Our FREE Parenting Class is open to grandparents as well!

Series will run (Tuesdays and Thursdays): November 11, 13, 18, 20 and December 2 from noon to 1:30 p.m. on Zoom.

Raising preteens and teens is tough. Wouldn’t it be great if adults could take a class that taught us how to help our kids avoid risky behaviors, all while learning how to say NO to drugs and alcohol? There is!

Guiding Good Choices® is an evidence-based, interactive prevention program that helps you build a stronger bond with your child, while also providing skills proven to reduce the risk of children engaging in substance use or other risky behaviors.

Learn how to:
• Prevent Drug Use in Your Family
• Develop Healthy Beliefs and Clear Standards
• Avoid Trouble and Respond to Peer Pressure
• Manage Conflict and Express Feelings Constructively
• Strengthen Family Bonds
• And More!

Register at https://tinyurl.com/GGC-Fall2025.

Please include any questions or comments on the registration form.

11/24/2025

🍂 The air is crisp, the leaves are turning, and the roads are calling — but before you go anywhere, buckle up! Every seat, every car, every ride. https://zerodeathsmd.gov/road-safety/seatbelts/

11/24/2025

Register to attend our Fall 2025 Guiding Good Choices® classes for parents, guardians and grandparents. Series will run (Tuesdays and Thursdays): November 11, 13, 18, 20 and December 2 from noon to 1:30 p.m. on Zoom.

Raising preteens and teens is tough. Wouldn’t it be great if adults could take a class that taught us how to help our kids avoid risky behaviors, all while learning how to say NO to drugs and alcohol? There is!

Guiding Good Choices® is an evidence-based, interactive prevention program that helps you build a stronger bond with your child, while also providing skills proven to reduce the risk of children engaging in substance use or other risky behaviors.

Learn how to:
• Prevent Drug Use in Your Family
• Develop Healthy Beliefs and Clear Standards
• Avoid Trouble and Respond to Peer Pressure
• Manage Conflict and Express Feelings Constructively
• Strengthen Family Bonds
• And More!

Learn More: https://buff.ly/X4D4BO7
Register at https://buff.ly/ZZ58lJu.

Please include any questions or comments on the registration form.

11/23/2025

The 2025-26 HoCo Student Film Festival is on May 1, 2026 from 7:00-8:30 pm at the Miller Library

The theme of the HC DrugFree Category is:
In The Know: Fake Pills, Real Danger

Counterfeit prescription pills are increasingly being laced with illegal fentanyl and other dangerous substances, and people often don’t know what’s inside. HC DrugFree is aligning this year’s category with national public awareness efforts and resources, including the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)’s One Pill Can Kill campaign.

Key facts to guide your PSA:

Illegally made fentanyl is frequently added into counterfeit pills that are marketed to look like prescription medications (Adderall, Xanax, oxycodone, etc.).

Counterfeit pills are widely available online and through social media and can contain lethal doses because there is no oversight or quality control.

Public health monitoring has documented rising exposures and overdoses tied to counterfeit pills, affecting teens and young adults as well as older people.

Focus your PSA on raising awareness and protecting the community by highlighting:

✔ Counterfeit pill dangers

✔ How easily pills can be laced with fentanyl

✔ How real and everyday this risk is for families

✔ What adults and youth should know to prevent tragedies

Message Goal: Empower viewers with knowledge that can save lives.

For more information, please visit https://www.dea.gov/onepill and the HC DrugFree website here: https://hcdrugfree.org/hoco-filmfest/

11/15/2025

Today is National Recycling Day! Remember to properly dispose of your medications and other items throughout the year.

Recycling is one of the simplest and most effective ways we can reduce waste, conserve resources, and keep our neighborhoods healthy. Howard County works hard to be a national leader in sustainability. On National Recycling Day, we ask all Howard County residents to keep that work going.

Learn what can and cannot be recycled, make use of our curbside and drop-off options, and continue making small choices that create a big impact. Learn more: https://www.howardcountymd.gov/bureau-environmental-services/trash-and-recycling-division.

11/14/2025

⚖️ Cannabis may be legal — but driving high isn’t. Crash on a couch, not on the road. Wait until you’re sober to drive.

11/14/2025

💊 VIEW OUR NEW SLIDESHOW! 💊
Thank you, Howard County! 👏

At our October 25th Drug Take Back Day, we safely collected 1,125 pounds of unwanted or expired medication — and every pill safely disposed of helps keep our homes and community safer. We also distributed 107 medication lockboxes to support safe storage.

A huge thank you to our partners: the Howard County Police Department, Howard County Sheriff's Office, County Executive Calvin Ball, the Drug Enforcement Administration - DEA , and Wilde Lake Village Board Chair Kevin McAliley — for their continued support in protecting youth and families.

📸 See all the highlights in our slideshow here ➡️ https://hcdrugfree.org/drug-take-back-day-1/

- Joan Webb Scornaienchi

11/13/2025

November is National . SAMHSA is committed to addressing the needs of individuals, including youth, and families with substance use disorders or mental health issues who are experiencing homelessness. https://www.samhsa.gov/homelessness-programs-resources

11/12/2025

🍻 Even one drink can change everything. Don’t drive impaired — plan your ride before you party.

Joan Webb Scornaienchi

11/12/2025

There's still time to register for our FREE parenting classes for parents, guardians , grandparents, and mentors.

Series will run (Tuesdays and Thursdays): November 11, 13, 18, 20 and December 2 from noon to 1:30 p.m. on Zoom.

Raising preteens and teens is tough. Wouldn’t it be great if adults could take a class that taught us how to help our kids avoid risky behaviors, all while learning how to say NO to drugs and alcohol? There is!

Guiding Good Choices® is an evidence-based, interactive prevention program that helps you build a stronger bond with your child, while also providing skills proven to reduce the risk of children engaging in substance use or other risky behaviors.

Learn how to:
• Prevent Drug Use in Your Family
• Develop Healthy Beliefs and Clear Standards
• Avoid Trouble and Respond to Peer Pressure
• Manage Conflict and Express Feelings Constructively
• Strengthen Family Bonds
• And More!

Learn More: https://buff.ly/X4D4BO7
Register at https://buff.ly/ZZ58lJu.

Please include any questions or comments on the registration form.

11/11/2025

Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid that 50-times stronger than he**in. Learn more at StopOverdose.maryland.gov/fentanyl. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnlHEutzyL0

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11/11/2025

Today, Nov. 11, we honor the courage, commitment, and selfless service of our nation’s veterans.

Their dedication to protecting our freedoms continues to inspire us: not only in uniform, but in classrooms, offices, and communities across the country.

To the active duty, guard, reserve, veteran service members, and their families, who enrich our schools and neighborhoods: Thank You!

Your example reminds us to lead with purpose and serve with heart.