UP, UP & AWAY: FCCS, Child Safety Partners Launch New Effort to Prevent Deadly Child Drug Exposures

Little kids don’t know what these drugs can do. But parents and adults do.

More than 60,000 children visit emergency rooms across our country each year because of medication poisoning. The number of children under five treated after mistakenly eating or touching marijuana products grew exponentially in just four years. And as the use of fentanyl and potent painkillers continue to impact Central Ohio, doctors and poison centers are seeing more deadly and near-fatal accidental exposures among children.

To educate parents and adults about how to protect young children against what can be a life-threatening accident, Franklin County Children Services (FCCS) and its child safety partners are launching a new community education effort: “Lock it UP, Clean it UP, and Put it AWAY.”

“These are not cases of intentional harm. They are tragic, preventable accidents,” shared FCCS Executive Director Chip Spinning. “Little hands don’t know what they are touching, but parents and adults do. Our immediate goal has to be keeping children safer. So we’ve come up with three simple actions: Lock it UP, Clean it UP, and Put it AWAY.”

Lock it UP: A lockbag or lockbox keeps little hands out. Pipes, pills, put it all inside. It takes two seconds and it works.

Clean it UP: Thoroughly clean up after yourself so kids never touch it. Even residue and crumbs can be deadly. Simple soap and water can take up traces of most drugs.

Put it AWAY: High shelf. High cabinet. Somewhere a child can’t reach and can’t see. Don’t take any chances.

Infants and toddlers explore their environments primarily through touch and taste. They constantly put their hands, toys, and found objects directly into their mouths. A child doesn’t need to actively "eat" a drug to be poisoned. Touching a table sticky with cannabis oil residue or a rug with powder traces, and then sucking on their thumb, is enough to cause severe exposure.

FCCS has enlisted the help of child safety partners to launch the UP, UP & AWAY campaign, including the Franklin County Commissioners, Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, Franklin County Coroner’s Office, Franklin County Public Health, Columbus Public Health, ADAMH of Franklin County, and The Center for Family Safety and Healing.

“Every day, our deputies see the devastating consequences of the drug crisis, including the tragic impact it can have on children. While enforcement remains a critical part of our mission, prevention is just as important. We are proud to support the Lock it UP, Clean it UP, and Put it AWAY campaign. Taking these simple precautions can help create safer environments for children.” - Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin.

“As Coroner, I have the unfortunate responsibility of seeing the consequences of preventable tragedies. While many people think about substance use as an adult issue, we cannot forget that children are often the unintended victims of unsafe environments. It only takes a very small amount of a substance to cause serious harm to a child. In some cases, touching a contaminated surface and then putting their hands in their mouths can be enough to result in a dangerous exposure. That is why campaigns like Lock it UP, Clean it UP, and Put it AWAY are so important.” - Franklin County Coroner Dr. Nathaniel Overmire.

“Protecting the health and safety of our children starts at home. Simple steps like using lockboxes, keeping items out of reach, and talking with family members about safe storage can prevent tragic and avoidable emergencies like unintentional poisoning or overdose. In tandem with the Recover For Life campaign, the Up, Up, & Away initiative serves as another tool as we work together to create safer environments for every child in our community.” - Joe Mazzola, Health Commissioner, Franklin County Public Health.

“Substance use affects more than the individual; it can have devastating consequences for entire families when dangerous substances are left within a child’s reach. ADAMH is proud to support this campaign because prevention, education, and awareness play a critical role in keeping children safe and strengthening the overall well-being of our community.” – Erika Clark Jones, CEO, Alcohol, Drug and Mental Health Board of Franklin County.

“Columbus Public Health is proud to join our partners to protect the health and safety of kids in our community. This campaign will raise awareness of the dangers of unsecured drugs in homes, protecting vulnerable children from accidental poisoning and overdose.” - Dr. Mysheika Roberts, Health Commissioner, Columbus Public Health.

“Prevention is everyone’s responsibility, and every prevention conversation matters. By keeping safety a priority, we can help save lives and build a healthier community.” - Melissa Kay Graves, President, The Center for Family Safety and Healing.

Through TV and digital advertising, social media, direct messaging, and community outreach, this innovative campaign represents a shift from the traditional anti-drug messages to a modern harm-reduction model that’s meant to destigmatize the conversation and put child safety first.

You’ll soon be able to learn more about the “Lock it UP, Clean it UP, and Put it AWAY” campaign on the FCCS website at fccs.us. For help with addiction issues, go to recoverforlife.myfcph.org.

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