Mangano Announces Drug Abuse Awareness Contest For Nassau County High Schools

Nassau County Executive Edward P. Mangano invites all high schools in Nassau County to participate in a program to promote substance abuse awareness and prevention. To bolster the County’s substance abuse prevention efforts in schools, amid a public health crisis throughout the country, County Executive Mangano is turning to students, themselves, to help get the message out to their peers.

In support of Red Ribbon Week, every high school in Nassau has been invited to take part in a contest to create a Public Service Announcement video (PSA) on the dangers of abusing drugs, even those prescribed by a doctor. The 30-second PSA will support Nassau County’s new initiative to Join the FAD, Families Against Drugs.

“The goal of the program is to help increase awareness of substance abuse, and to send a message to adolescents and teenagers about the life threatening dangers of drugs and substance abuse before they are faced with a decision that could affect the rest of their lives,” said County Executive Mangano.

It is important to realize the impact substance abuse has on the lives of people not only in Nassau but throughout Long Island and the country. Statistics indicate that drug overdoses kill nearly one Long Islander a day and nearly one person dies every nineteen minutes from drug-related causes nationwide.

The deadline for contest entries is Friday, Nov. 1. Winners of the PSA contest will receive countywide recognition, and have their video aired on local television channels as well as displayed at various Nassau County events. The videos are to be submitted to Mangano’s Prescription Drug Abuse Task Force at the address below. There will be cash prizes for the schools of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners.

Red Ribbon Week, which is from October 23rd – 31st, is a nationwide effort to get young people thinking about the consequences of unhealthy behaviors and decisions and the promotion of healthy behaviors and attitudes.

To participate in the PSA Drug Awareness contest, please contact Paula Pontrelli at (516) 227-7038 or email Paula.Pontrelli@hhsnassaucountyny.us or contact Eden Laikin at elaikin@nassaucountyny.gov or (516) 571-6105. Videos should be sent, on a DVD - in an MP4 format- to the attention of Eden Laikin at the Theodore Roosevelt Executive and Legislative Building located at 1550 Franklin Avenue in Mineola.