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This version of NSU News has been archived as of February 28, 2019. To search through archived articles, visit nova.edu/search. To access the new version of NSU News, visit news.nova.edu.
This version of SharkBytes has been archived as of February 28, 2019. To search through archived articles, visit nova.edu/search. To access the new version of SharkBytes, visit sharkbytes.nova.edu.
NSU College of Pharmacy Expands Generation Rx Prescription Drug Abuse Awareness Program to Palm Beach County Schools
APhA-ASP team with Independence Middle School teacher Heather Lukasik. (left to right) Anthony Kennedy, Stephanie Chassagne, Amed Moussawel, Amy Nedumparambil, Jaime Velasquez, Heather Lukasik, Shannon Taylor, Daniela Valencia, Karina Gonzalez, Melissa Calix, Ren Perez, Betsy Torres-Galarza, and Chava Amster-Chaitin.
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, every day approximately 2,600 young people between 12 and 17 years of age abuse a prescription painkiller for the first time. America’s leading drug problem is in fact not on the street, it is in our medicine cabinets. Based on CDC statistics, prescription medication abuse is the leading cause of accidental death in the United States.
Generation Rx is an educational program that increases public awareness of prescription medication abuse and encourages health care providers, community leaders, parents, teens, and college students to actively work to prevent abuse. American Pharmacists’ Association – Academy of Student Pharmacists Palm Beach chapter expanded the breadth and depth of this important initiative to the local communities in Palm Beach.
NSU College of Pharmacy students at Palm Beach campus formed three teams lead by Generation Rx officer Anthony Kennedy. The teams delivered presentations, mock court hearings, and Q&A sessions at Jupiter High School, Independence Middle School and Royal Palm High School.
“Our students were successful in engaging the students and answering their curious questions,” said Zaher Hajar, Pharm.D., APhA-ASP faculty advisor. “The feedback we received was very positive.”
“Teachers and officials at the schools appreciated our students’ efforts and expressed interest in repeating these activities next semester with other classes and expanding to other programs within the school,” said Sarah Alameddine, Pharm.D., APhA-ASP faculty co-advisor.
APhA-ASP team participates in a mock court proceeding.