Smoke Free NOW Coordinator scores victory at Batavia City Council meeting

This picture was taken by Nick Serrata and published in The Daily News around 8:41 this morning. It accompanies Joanne Beck's article, "Council bans smoking in city parks."

Our own Kevin Keenan presented a compelling argument for a smoking ban in all city parks at last night's City Council meeting. Partly as a result of the efforts of Smoke Free NOW, the smoking ban has been enacted.

For more details, click here.

22-year-old woman hospitalized after 5-Hour Energy overdose

Well, we all knew caffeine could be addictive; furthermore, we all know that energy drinks carry some significant risks. But who would have thought that a 22-year-old woman would contract acute hepatitis from the popular beverage, 5-Hour Energy?

This was reported in the June 22 edition of the Journal of Medical Case Reports, and covered by msnbc.com contributor Bill Briggs in the article, "5-Hour Energy binge lands woman in hospital."

Granted, this woman consumed 10 bottles per day. Most of us would agree that this constitutes overkill. But extreme cases like this do offer a vivid illustration of the need to exercise caution.

Another interesting point made in Briggs' article was this: According to nutritionist Joy Bauer,
“The ‘lift’ (these energy drinks) give you comes from caffeine (. . .) The high doses of B vitamins and amino acids they dump in are purely for glitz and glam -- they don’t actually help you instantly perk up."

That said, reflective soul that I am, I feel the need to comment on a societal phenomenon that I see behind the whole energy drink craze. Right at the beginning of his article, Briggs makes the following statement: "For many of us who march in the sleep-starved army that is the American workforce, it’s as critical to our survival as air, food, and bad reality TV: Caffeine. Beloved, energizing, career-preserving caffeine."

Not a few commentators on the history of modern Western society have expressed concern about the modern workforce consisting of "drones" who are overworked and housed within professional environments that, albeit unintentionally, seem to regard them more of as means toward production and profit, rather than as human beings aiming to reach individual and collective fulfillment (on that note, see the May 16 post on Bart Dentino's workplace-oriented program).

Perhaps the phenomenon of energy drink overdose is one manifestation of this situation coming back to bite us in the neck. But that's just my speculation -- I'll get off my soapbox now.

To read Briggs' full article, click here.

NOTE: The above image was published along with the article; no source is credited.

Senior Prevention Educator represents GCASA at annual 4th of July 'Picnic in the Park!'

This photo was published, along with the article "Many perks at GoArt!'s 'Picnic in the Park' this year, including author from Bethany," at 3:41 p.m. today on The Batavian.

Dick Lawrence, our new "Senior Spice" coordinator and senior citizen prevention educator, was at "Picnic in the Park," an annual event showcasing local organizations and providing 4th of July entertainment, yesterday.

Dick, who joined us last month, very generously volunteered to represent our organization at this event. From what I understand, he did a great job. A lot of information on our programs was disseminated. Way to go, Dick!

Video on K2 (a.k.a 'Spice')

GCASA Prevention Educator wins international contest!

Lisa Barrett, one of our prevention educators, was notified yesterday that she came in first place in the international competition, "Best Original Song." Lisa wrote and performed the winning song, "When You Look at Me," in memory of her nephew, Austin, who lost his battle with cancer just shy of his second birthday.

The folks at GCASA prevention are all very proud of Lisa and her accomplishment. We have confidence that her music will touch the lives of many.

For media coverage, see:

Batavia singer/songwriter has high hopes for very personal song (The Batavian)

Batavian's song reaches final round of contest (The Daily News)

Batavia woman's song wins international contest (The Daily News)

2011 Best Original Song -- "When You Look at Me" by Lisa Barrett (Music News Nashville)

'Reality Check' video: 'If Walls Could Talk'

Lazy, lazy men...

I just read a very interesting New York Times review of current television programming, and felt it was relevant to our concern with media literacy.

Alessandra Stanley, in her article "It's a Crime That Men Are So Lazy," observes that male characters in many of today's TV shows are lazy, incompetent, powerless, and/or just generally unhelpful to their female counterparts, who are forced to pick up the slack (she even mentions one male character who is a recovering addict).

Certainly, the presentation of ANY demographic in the media -- be it men or women, children or adults, black people or white people, etc. -- has consequences. The portrayal of women in the media has been a concern for quite some time, and rightly so. But I think we need to start paying more attention to the other side of the gender coin as well, and to what sort of image our young men are being given of themselves.

Click here to read the full article.