Drug Awareness Initiatives

Bonnie is currently serving as a co-chair of the Niagara Drug Awareness Committee. The purpose of the NDAC is to foster communication, collaboration and continuing education related to substance abuse prevention among community partners working in the field of substance abuse prevention.

A new and exciting project, “The Engage, Educate, & Empower: Niagara Youth Drug Strategy” has been funded by Health Canada through the Niagara Drug Awareness Committee for the period of April 2009 to March 2012.  A Youth Engagement Coordinator has been hired to organize youth led substance abuse prevention campaigns in Niagara’s high schools and the IMPACT Youth conference will continue to be a major initiative of this project.

The Niagara Drug Awareness Committee has representation from the following organizations: Niagara Region Public Health, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Bridges Community Health Centre, St. Catharines Community Health Centre, Niagara Catholic District School Board, District School Board of Niagara, Niagara Regional Police Service, RCMP, Community Addiction Services of Niagara and the Pharmacists’ Association of the Niagara Peninsula.

Bonnie is also currently working with several NDAC partners to plan and implement a CME accredited training session for Niagara physicians and pharmacists on prescription opioid use and their addictive potential.