A Dangerous Holiday Weekend on Minnesota Roads From parents endangering children to drivers so intoxicated they needed to be taken away in an ambulance, law enforcement kept Minnesota roads safer by taking impaired drivers off the streets during the first five days of the extra DWI enforcement period. Holiday DWIs from 6 p.m. November 21 – 6 a.m. November 26 Officers, deputies and troopers arrested 480 drivers for DWI during the Thanksgiving enforcement period. DWI arrests for the previous three years are as follows: 2017 – 490 2016 – 448 2015 – 468 Deadly Choices Preliminary data shows that three of the four fatal crashes over the holiday weekend were alcohol-related. DWI arrests (November

Studies show that medicines flushed down the drain can contaminate our lakes and streams, which can hurt fish and other aquatic wildlife, and end up in our drinking water. This is because municipal wastewater treatments systems cannot remove medications from the wastewater. Some medications, such as hormones and antidepressants, interfere with the reproduction and normal growth of many aquatic species, such as frogs and fish. Prevent abuse and accidental poisoning Medicines in home cabinets are the second highest cause of accidental poisoning in children and adults. These drugs are also highly susceptible to misuse and abuse. Studies show that people who abuse prescription drugs often obtain

FullMeasure takes a look at Colorado’s marijuana legalization "This 8-minute video and transcript presents a picture of the results of marijuana legalization in Colorado, the first state to legalize marijuana for recreational use. We hear a lot about the up side of legalization, not so much about the down side. This reporting team set out to examine both. The biggest surprise has been the expansion – rather than the demise promised by legalization advocates – of the black market. Cartels rent homes in upscale neighborhoods, rip up carpeting, tear down walls, and push up wooden floors to turn them into grow houses, totally destroying half-million-dollar homes in the process. And those are

"ClearWay Minnesota launched a new campaign that aims to shed light on the hidden harms of tobacco addiction. The campaign theme is See What You've Been Missing and it highlights teen e-cigarette use, the high health costs of smoking-related disease and Big Tobacco's youth marketing tactics. As a key supporter, you are painfully aware of the tremendous harm that the tobacco industry causes our state. Among our youth, e-cigarettes and flavored tobacco products contributed to the first rise in tobacco use in nearly two decades. Tobacco use also continues to be the leading cause of preventable death and disease. We all bear the costs of tobacco use, whether it is a youth becoming addicted or an

As of April 1, 2018, Minnesota’s suicide prevention and mental health crisis texting services are now available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. People who text MN to 741741 will be connected to Crisis Text Line. Crisis Text Line handles 50,000 messages per month and over 20 million messages since 2013 from across the U.S., connecting people to local resources in their community. For callers who are the most in distress, average wait times for a response is only 39 seconds. In addition, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides 24/7, offers free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources. (1-800-273-8255). Don't wait. Text or call if you need h

Source: U.S. Department of Health & Human Services