Charlotte, NC (Tuesday, September 5, 2023) – Discovery Education and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) today announced a new virtual experience – An Ounce of Prevention Virtual Field Trip – empowering students in grades 9-12 to make healthy decisions and become advocates for prevention in their communities. This virtual field trip is part of Operation Prevention, a collaboration between DEA and Discovery Education that is helping prevent substance misuse in schools nationwide by showing students the science behind addiction and its impact on the brain and body.
Premiering September 13 at 1 PM ET and available on-demand, An Ounce of Prevention Virtual Field Trip introduces students to people working on the ground in communities nationwide to prevent substance misuse. These community leaders include Cheri Oz, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Phoenix Division, Phoenix, Arizona; Shelly Mowrey, Prevention Specialist, Arizona High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA), Prevention Works AZ; Jennifer Talamantes, a School Counselor in El Paso, TX; and Amy Neville, the Founder of Alex Neville Foundation. Learn more and register for the Ounce of Prevention Virtual Field Trip here.
“The lethality of fentanyl and the availability of fake pills impacts every community across the United States. Knowledge must be one of our first lines of defense,” said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. “People of all ages need to understand the dangers associated with synthetic drugs and know that experimentation can be a deadly mistake. DEA is proud to partner with Discovery Education to provide educators and students an engaging and interactive way to protect the safety and health of this next generation.”
The Drug Enforcement Administration has seized fentanyl, a deadly synthetic opioid, in all 50 states and reported in February 2023, “Fentanyl is deadliest drug threat facing our country”. According to DEA lab analysis, 6 in every 10 pills tested contains a fatal dose of fentanyl, and just two milligrams can be lethal. The CDC predicts that 68% of the 110,684 drug-related deaths in 2022 involved a synthetic opioid like fentanyl. Yet, a mere 40% of young people ages 13–24 were knowledgeable about fentanyl, and only 48% (36% of teens) were aware of fentanyl in fake pills.
“Research has shown the best way to prevent substance misuse is through intervention and education at a young age. Students need to know how to become an advocate for prevention,” said Amy Nakamoto, General Manager of Social Impact at Discovery Education. “Discovery Education is proud to support the DEA in this critical effort to combat the epidemic of the counterfeit drug crisis facing our communities.”
Learn more about the new counterfeit drug educational resources and Operation Prevention at OperationPrevention.com and on Discovery Education Experience.
For more information about Discovery Education’s award-winning digital resources and professional learning services visit www.discoveryeducation.com, and stay connected with Discovery Education on social media through Twitter and LinkedIn.
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About the Drug Enforcement Administration
The mission of the Drug Enforcement Administration is to enforce the controlled substances laws and regulations of the United States and bring to the criminal and civil justice system of the United States, or any other competent jurisdiction, those organizations and principal members of organizations, involved in the growing, manufacture or distribution of controlled substances appearing in or destined for illicit traffic in the United States; and to recommend and support non-enforcement programs aimed at reducing the availability of illicit controlled substances on the domestic and international markets. The DEA encourages parents, along with their children, to educate themselves about the dangers of legal and illegal drugs by visiting DEA’s interactive websites at justthinktwice.com, getsmartaboutdrugs.com and dea.gov.
About Discovery Education
Discovery Education is the worldwide edtech leader whose state-of-the-art digital platform supports learning wherever it takes place. Through its award-winning multimedia content, instructional supports, and innovative classroom tools, Discovery Education helps educators deliver equitable learning experiences engaging all students and supporting higher academic achievement on a global scale. Discovery Education serves approximately 4.5 million educators and 45 million students worldwide, and its resources are accessed in over 100 countries and territories. Inspired by the global media company Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. Discovery Education partners with districts, states, and trusted organizations to empower teachers with leading edtech solutions that support the success of all learners. Explore the future of education at www.discoveryeducation.com.
Contacts
DEA
National Media Affairs
Email: DEA.Public.Affairs@dea.gov
Grace Maliska
Discovery Education
Email: gmaliska@discoveryed.com