Pathways To Prevention Coalition

10/20/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/19ic2LfcTu/?mibextid=wwXIfr

DEADLY NEW DRUG: A synthetic opioid up to 10 times more potent than fentanyl has been linked to at least 55 deaths across multiple states, officials say.

Cychlorphine, which is theoretically 500 times more potent than morphine or he**in, has been detected in counterfeit pills and illicit drugs — and standard fentanyl test strips cannot detect it.

Health officials warn that reversing an overdose from the drug may require five or six doses of Narcan instead of the usual one or two.

Full story here https://www.foxnews.com/health/super-drug-10-times-stronger-fentanyl-linked-deaths-multiple-states

10/19/2026

💊🚨 GOT OLD MEDICATIONS SITTING IN YOUR MEDICINE CABINET?

Let’s talk about DE TERRA! 💚

We all have those medications we no longer need, but what do we do with them?

The Deterra® Drug Deactivation Pouch makes it easy to safely deactivate unwanted medications right at home!

💊 STEP 1 – PLACE IT!
Put your unwanted medications into the pouch.

💧 STEP 2 – ADD WATER!
Fill halfway with warm tap water and wait 30 seconds.

🔒 STEP 3 – SEAL & SHAKE!
Zip it closed and gently shake to activate the deactivation process.

🗑️ STEP 4 – THROW IT AWAY!
Dispose of the sealed pouch in your regular household trash according to the instructions.

❤️ WHY DOES THIS MATTER?

Because medications sitting in our homes can end up in the wrong hands. Accidental poisonings and medication misuse can happen in any household.

PREVENTION DOESN’T START WHEN SOMETHING GOES WRONG. IT STARTS WITH WHAT WE DO TODAY!

📢 DEA NATIONAL PRESCRIPTION DRUG TAKE BACK DAY
📅 Saturday, October 24, 2026
⏰ 10 AM – 2 PM
📍 426 N. Texas Ave., Odessa, TX 79761

Clean out those medicine cabinets and help us keep our families and community safe!

💜 One pouch. One safer home. One step toward prevention.

10/16/2026

🚨 NEW YOUTH SUBSTANCE-USE DATA

The CDC has released findings from the 2025 Youth Risk Behavior Survey—and va**ng remains a serious concern among high-school students.

Nationally:

🔹 30.2% of high-school students reported ever using a va**ng product.
🔹 16% reported currently va**ng.
🔹 Current va**ng was higher among female students—18% compared with 14.2% of male students.
🔹 Current va**ng reached 21.7% among students attending rural public schools, compared with about 15% in city, suburban and town schools.

Why does this matter for Region 9?

Many West Texas communities are rural and may have fewer prevention, behavioral-health and cessation resources. These findings reinforce the need for early, consistent prevention—not only during Red Ribbon Week or after a crisis occurs.

Young people need more than facts. Effective prevention helps them:

✅ Practice refusal skills
✅ Strengthen decision-making and self-control
✅ Connect healthy choices to their future goals
✅ Identify trusted adults and available support
✅ Get help when they are ready to quit

These figures are national findings and should not be presented as Texas or Region 9 prevalence rates. However, they help us understand why rural communities must remain part of the youth-va**ng conversation.

Prevention works best when schools, families and communities work together.

📊 Read the CDC report:
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/75/su/pdfs/su7501-H.pdf

Resource Center - PRC Region 9

10/15/2026

10/14/2026

💊 LET’S WORK TOGETHER FOR A SAFER, HEALTHIER COMMUNITY!

Start checking your medicine cabinets, bathroom drawers, purses, and kitchen cabinets for unused or expired medication. Bring it to DEA National Prescription Drug Take Back Day for safe disposal—no questions asked.

📅 Saturday, October 24, 2026
⏰ 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
📍 Basin Lighthouse
426 N. Texas Ave., Odessa, TX

✅ Accepted: prescriptions, over-the-counter pills, vitamins, and pet medications.

🚫 We cannot accept needles, sharps, inhalers, oxygen containers, mercury thermometers, or chemotherapy/radioactive substances.

🎁 Each household that turns in medication may receive one FREE medication lockbox while supplies last!

We are also inviting local organizations to host a FREE community resource table and connect families with helpful programs and services. Register here:
🔗 form.jotform.com/262656100827052

Medication collection will be provided

Please share this post and help us spread the word. Safely disposing of medication is one simple step we can all take to help prevent accidental poisoning, medication misuse, and substance use in our community. 💙

10/14/2026

💜 WEDNESDAY WELLNESS | PREVENTION STARTS WITH YOU! 💜

🌟 Healthy Minds. Healthy Choices. Stronger Futures.

Wellness isn't just about eating healthy or exercising. It's also about protecting your mental health, surrounding yourself with positive influences, and making choices that support a drug-free lifestyle.

🌿 5 Ways to Practice Wellness This Wednesday:

💜 Check in with yourself. How are you really feeling today?

🧠 Protect your mental health. It's okay to ask for help when life feels overwhelming.

🚫 Choose healthy coping skills. Stress is real, but alcohol, va**ng, and drugs aren't the answer.

🤝 Be someone's safe place. A simple conversation could make a difference in someone's life.

✨ Lead by example. Young people are watching how we handle stress, challenges, and everyday decisions.

💬 WEDNESDAY WELLNESS CHALLENGE:

Reach out to ONE person today and ask, "How are you doing — really?"

Sometimes prevention starts with a conversation, not a presentation.

💜 Basin Lighthouse | Impact Youth
*Leading the Way Through Education*

10/05/2026

GROW. OVERCOME. EMPOWER. 💜

Today is National GOE Day, and those three words say so much about what prevention is really about.

🌱 GROW — Give our young people the knowledge, skills, and support they need to make healthy choices.

💪 OVERCOME — Remind them that mistakes, challenges, peer pressure, and difficult circumstances do not have to determine their future.

✨ EMPOWER — Help them recognize their voice, their worth, and their ability to choose a different path.

Prevention isn't just telling youth what not to do. It's giving them something positive to believe in, people who believe in them, and the tools to build the future they deserve.

Today, encourage somebody. Check on a young person. Speak life into them. Sometimes one person believing in you can change everything.

Grow. Overcome. Empower.
Leading the way through education. 💜

10/04/2026

🚛 National 10-4 Day: Prevention and Support Matter

“10-4” means message received—and today, our message is clear: the people who keep our country moving deserve to be protected, appreciated, and supported.

Prevention means having honest conversations about substance misuse, mental health, stress, fatigue, and safe driving before someone reaches a crisis.

Let’s do more than thank the drivers in our lives. Check on them. Listen without judgment. Encourage healthy ways to cope. Share available resources. Remind them that asking for help is a sign of strength.

To every truck driver: We see you. We appreciate you. Your health, safety, and life matter far beyond the load you carry.

Every mile matters—and so does every person behind the wheel. 10-4, message received. 💙

10/01/2026

📣 Parents, Community Members, Coalition Partners, and School Contacts—We Need Your Voice!

Pathways to Prevention is asking you to complete our 2026 Community Member and Parent Survey.

Your feedback will help us understand what is working, identify areas where additional support is needed, and strengthen our prevention partnerships, resources, and activities throughout the community.

The survey should take approximately 15 minutes to complete, and responses are anonymous.

📱 Scan the QR code on the graphic or complete the survey here:

🔗 https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/pbrcadaccp1

Your feedback is an important part of our annual evaluation. Thank you for sharing your honest input and helping us strengthen prevention efforts for local youth, families, and communities!