The COVID-19 pandemic has changed life as we know it. We are now operating in the world of the new normal. With the Coronavirus induced prohibition on large-scale events, the DEA Youth Summits have been postponed until 2021. However, this must not stop the DEA 360 effort from educating the public and promoting awareness around the topic of opioids and the opioid epidemic taking place in our communities.

With this as the backdrop, DEA 360 and the Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation are organizing a series of Virtual Town Hall discussions addressing the core topic of “What Every Family Needs to Know About Opioids.” In many cases, we will be partnering with a local television station to conduct a television special on the topic, after which we will continue the important discuss online. Local leaders and prevention and treatment advocates will discuss the epidemic and its impact in the community and provide insight into local resources available to assist anyone dealing with any form of substance abuse. These experts will also take questions from the viewing audience. Anyone can register to receive program notifications about the Town Hall in your community.

The Baltimore Virtual Town Hall on Opioid Awareness will educate young people and adults about the growing opioid epidemic and encourage healthy decision-making. An essential ingredient to a solution is stopping the spread of addiction through a message of abstaining from experimentation – if less young people are experimenting with these highly addictive drugs, less will fall victim to this often-fatal disease of addiction. The program seeks to educate families about the dangers, warning signs, and effects of opioid abuse, and also connect them with resources to deal with opioid abuse. Most of all, the program aims to recognize and promote healthy choices and demonstrate the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.