Eileen Davidson (Ashley, “The Young and the Restless”) has joined the pledge to help save lives in honor of National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day (August 21), and you can too!
In a post on Instagram, Davidson reveals that she is a friend of Mothers Against Prescription Drug Abuse (MAPDA), an organization founded in 2011 by a mother whose 19-year-old son died after he experimented with the potent prescription drug Methadone. “Even though Chris had passed away, I felt like I needed to protect the other cubs. I did not want another family to suffer this pain,” says Janet Jones, the founder of MAPDA, on the organization’s website.
Davidson, who is also an advisory board member for the organization, shared a video message on Instagram wherein she said, “The greatest gift you can give your loved ones is a conversation.” She adds, “As a friend of Mothers Against Prescription Drug Abuse, I want to encourage you to have open and honest conversations with your loved ones, especially your children, about drug awareness. It’ll help empower them so that they make smart choices, resist peer pressure and have healthier, drug-free lives. Talk to your loved ones. It truly is the greatest gift.”
According to MAPDA data, about 3,300 kids as young as 12 try marijuana EACH day. Additionally, about five in 10 kids as young as 12 obtain prescription pain relievers for non-medical purposes. By the time they are seniors, half of all high school students will have taken an illegal drug, and more than 20 percent will have used a prescription drug for a non-medical purpose. Additionally, the earlier you start talking, the better.
Setting ongoing conversations in the teen years, there is a greater chance of influencing decisions around substance use. Kids don’t always have all the facts when it comes to drugs. If parents don’t talk about the risks of substance use, their kids might not see any harm in trying all kinds of substances and feel uncomfortable coming to their parents when they need help.
To take the pledge to help save lives or to donate to the organization, visit MAPDA’s website.