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Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn’s office will be hosting an interactive drug abuse prevention display at the Swansea Mall this Saturday called, Hidden in Plain Sight.
The display is a mock teenage bedroom that is designed to raise awareness about the signs of addiction or drug use a parent might or might not notice in their child’s room. The items in the room can range from alcohol, tobacco and marijuana related paraphernalia to items associated with prescription drug and heroin use.
The Hidden In Plain Sight initiative will assist parents spot signs of at-risk behaviors by using an interactive display of a teenager’s bedroom. The display will be staffed by volunteers from the district attorney’s office. The volunteers, through the use of the interactive display, will teach parents to see the signs of hidden substance abuse. The program uses a re-created bedroom of a typical teenager to test parents’ knowledge of common items that can be signs that the teen is using drugs or drinking alcohol.
The exhibit will be open to adults 21 and over from 9 a.m. to 5 pm on Saturday December 17th. The space being used for the program is the old Belden Jewelers right off of center court at the mall.
The district attorney’s office is hosting the display in collaboration with the Swansea Mall. This display, the first of its kind in Bristol County, made its debut this summer at the Taunton Galleria Mall, and has also been exhibited at the Dartmouth Mall, Fall River Government Center and other locations.
The opioid epidemic currently plaguing the nation has been felt in Bristol County’s cities and towns. Families throughout Bristol County have been affected by this crisis. Some have lost loved ones and others search for treatment and support. This special event seeks to educate families on the signs of addiction so they can seek assistance and treatment before it is too late.
“This is part of our initiative to bring awareness to parents to help them address issues related to drug use before they spiral out of control,” said District Attorney Quinn. “Education and awareness is critical to addressing the opiate crisis.”
