“Everyone has a role in prevention,” says Marcie Seidel. A drug prevention leader in Ohio for many years, Marcie recently retired from her position as Executive Director of Prevention Action Alliance. Years before, she served as former chief of staff for Hope Taft, Ohio’s former first lady. In 1987, Mrs. Taft started Prevention Action Alliance with a group of parents in order to raise awareness about the dangers of misusing drugs and alcohol. This connection led Marcie to the organization where she assumed the mantle for more than 13 years. “It was an aligning of the stars,” she said. Indeed it was. Marcie’s career eventually led her to meet our very own Peggy Sapp, and they have been partners in prevention ever since. NFP is lucky to have many allies in the state of Ohio who are big supporters of the Red Ribbon Campaign. Marcie credits Ohio’s schools and their National Guard as natural partners. An added bonus for us is that this year our new Red Ribbon Campaign theme, Be Happy. Be Brave. Be Drug Free. ™ , was created by an Ohioan, Tricia Nelson, a Cincinnati school teacher. “Collaborations are valuable,” Marcie says. “I believe the Red Ribbon campaign is successful in part due to alliances.” And although she has retired, she contends “Prevention is a way of living and I intend to stay connected.” We wish you an amazing retirement Marcie. 

Looking for Red Ribbon Themed Merchandise? Look no further! Check out these high-quality products from NIMCO. Visit NIMCO’s website to purchase merchandise such as Red Ribbon Themed wrist bands, Pop-up phone grippers, T-shirts, water bottles and more. Visit www.NimcoInc.com and help us spread the word!

 

His mission was to get drugs off the street and his death was not in vain. DEA agent Enrique (Kiki) Camarena dedicated his career to putting an end to the influx of drugs in United States in the 1980s. Sadly, on what appeared to be a typical day in February of 1985, Agent Camarena was kidnapped, and his lifeless body was found a month later in Mexico.  His death inspired communities across the nation to call awareness to drug and alcohol abuse within their communities by wearing red ribbons, thus continuing Agent Camarena’s mission. The story that sparked the beginning of the National Red Ribbon Campaign™ is now available for download in Spanish. Click here and access it via our downloads page.

Print out the Red Ribbon Theme sign, add your name, hold it up and post a photo that shows us you’re committed to living drug free.

Tag us on Facebook & Twitter: @RedRibbonWeek Instagram: @RedRibbonCampaign

Spread the Red Ribbon message online. Use our Facebook and Twitter posts!

Virtual Red Ribbon Campaign Tools 

Share your support for Red Ribbon Week with your friends and followers! Together, we can send a clear message across America. All you have to do to participate is tweet or post on Facebook with any or all of the suggested language below to spread the word about Red Ribbon Week: See the examples below, copy the language you want to use on your blog or social networking site and start spreading the message! We also encourage you to take a photo of your favorite drug-free activities and post on Instagram with #redribbonweek and #BeHappyBeBraveBeDrugFree.

Sample Facebook Posts

• Be Happy. Be Brave. Be Drug Free. – Celebrate Red Ribbon Week (October 23-31).
• It’s Red Ribbon Week and I am taking a stand against drugs. Join me. Take the pledge: www.redribbon.org/pledge
• Today, I’m honoring Kiki Camarena, a DEA agent who died while fighting substance abuse. Join me in celebrating Red Ribbon Week 2020. Take the pledge: www.redribbon.org/pledge
• Today, I'm joining teens, parents, teachers, and other citizens across America in celebrating Red Ribbon Week (October 23-31), the oldest and largest drug prevention program in the nation.
• Join me in celebrating Red Ribbon Week. Our children have the right to grow up drug free – and we have the responsibility to make that happen. Take the pledge: www.redribbon.org/pledge
• I’m entering the Red Ribbon Photo Contest to win an iPad and $1,000 for my school. You can enter too at www.redribbon.org/contest
• I’m a teacher who believes in a drug free future for my students. Join me in celebrating Red Ribbon Week (October 23-31)
• I’m a parent who believes in a drug free future for my children. Join me in celebrating Red Ribbon Week (October 23-31).

Sample Tweets

• Be Happy. Be Brave. Be Drug Free. Celebrate #RedRibbonWeek (October 23-31). #BeHappyBeBraveBeDrugFree
• It’s Red Ribbon Week and I am taking a stand against drugs. Join me. Take the pledge: www.redribbon.org/pledge. #RedRibbonWeek #BeHappyBeBraveBeDrugFree
• Today, I’m honoring Kiki Camarena, a DEA agent who died while fighting substance abuse. Join me. Take the pledge: www.redribbon.org/pledge . #RedRibbonWeek
• Today, I'm joining teens, parents, teachers, and other citizens across America in celebrating Red Ribbon Week (October 23-31), the oldest and largest drug prevention program in the nation. #RedRibbonWeek
• Join me in celebrating #RedRibbonWeek. Our children have the right to grow up drug free – and we have the responsibility to make that happen. #BeHappyBeBraveBeDrugFree
• Take the pledge: www.redribbon.org/pledge. #RedRibbonWeek #BeHappyBeBraveBeDrugFree
• I’m entering the Red Ribbon Photo Contest to win an iPad and $1,000 for my school. You can enter too at www.redribbon.org/contest. #RedRibbonWeek
• I’m a teacher who believes in a drug free future for my students. Join me in celebrating Red Ribbon Week (October 23-31). #redribbonweek #BeHappyBeBraveBeDrugFree
• I’m a parent who believes in a drug free future for my children. Join me in celebrating Red Ribbon Week (October 23-31). #redribbonweek #BeHappyBeBraveBeDrugFree
  

Teachers, we want to hear from your students. Ask them to think of a time when they took an opportunity to encourage someone to stay drug free.

• What were the circumstances?
• How did it turn out?

We’d like to hear their story. Have them send us their name, grade and school name and they could be featured online and receive a discount on Red Ribbon merchandise. Email us at: RedRibbon@NFP.org by Friday, February 28.

Each year, the National Family Partnership looks for new ways to highlight exciting and effective prevention methods. As we quickly approach Red Ribbon Week, now is the perfect time for you to learn more about Everfi's Prescription Drug Safety Network (PDSN).

PDSN is a national coalition committed to empowering Americans with the skills and knowledge to make safe decisions about prescription medications through digital education reaching over 155,000+ students in the 2018-19 school year.

The Prescription Drug Safety course is a self-guided digital learning experience that uses interactive content and stimulations to equip students with the strategies and best practices to manage and dispose of prescription medications. Data from pre-and-post course assessments shows that learners are more prepared and feel more empowered to make safe and responsible decisions about prescription medication after taking the Prescription Drug Safety course. Click here to learn more about how to get involved.

Click on the course description below for details.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

CLICK ON VIDEO BELOW

 

The 2019 National Red Ribbon Week theme is: Send a Message. Stay Drug Free.™

Izabella Ware, a student from Griswold Middle School in Griswold, CT, created the winning theme for 2019 Red Ribbon Week, which takes place October 23-31. Ware's theme, "Send A Message. Stay Drug Free."  was selected among thousands of Red Ribbon theme ideas submitted by students, parents, educators and members of communities across America.

Griswold Middle School will receive national recognition and $500 in Red Ribbon Theme merchandise from Nimco, Inc.

• The theme is a call to action to speak out in support of healthy choices. The theme is also a reminder that by staying drug free, you are sending a message to yourself and others about how much you value yourself, your overall health, your community and your future.

The annual National Red Ribbon Theme Contest, sponsored by the National Family Partnership, offers students and other prevention supporters the opportunity to be a part of history. The winning slogan will be used throughout 2019 in thousands of schools and communities across America.

As the nation’s largest and oldest drug prevention campaign, Red Ribbon Week® reaches over 80 million people each year throughout the United States.

This is the first year that a student at Griswold Middle School won the National Red Ribbon Theme contest. Izabella learned about the contest from her health teacher Kristen Butremovic, who has been celebrating the Red Ribbon Campaign for 21 years.

Want to make 2019 Red Ribbon Week the best yet? Stay tuned for the release of our 2019 Red Ribbon Planning Guide. Share your Red Ribbon plans/events here. Check out our curriculum ideas here. And stay tuned for details about our 2019 National Red Ribbon Photo Contest.