GPF Foundation program focuses on recreational drug use
The GPF Foundation, which is committed to saving lives by supporting education, appropriate treatment and overall awareness of the dangers related to recreational drug use, announced the launch of two new education and health care programs at the foundation's recent fundraising event held in Lake Forest.
The GPF Foundation is partnering with New York University Langone Medical Center and Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science to develop an interactive, peer-led, public educational initiative to inform the GPF Foundation's target audience of 18- to 35-year-olds about the potential dangers of recreational drug use.
Prior to public release in Chicagoland and across the region, the program will be beta-tested and fine-tuned at Lake Forest College and then delivered to students on campus during the 2020 academic school year.
The foundation is also working with NorthShore University HealthSystem, Cook County Health, and the Illinois Poison Center to study and identify clinical trends among the population of recreational drug users.
The partners will create diagnostic tools and treatment protocols that medical professionals may utilize when presented with patients experiencing medical issues following recreational drug use.
The Friedman family and friends established the GPF Foundation last year when the Friedmans' son, Greg, died after taking a seemingly adulterated dose of the drug ecstasy/molly provided by a childhood friend and did not receive appropriate medical treatment.
"We established the foundation last year and set as its mission a commitment to saving lives through public education, improved diagnosis and appropriate treatment options relating to recreational drug use," says Ross Friedman, GPF Foundation president.
According to the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 1.2 million people ages 18 to 25 are estimated to have used ecstasy/molly (also known as MDMA) in the past year and 20 million people have used the drug.
Use of ecstasy/molly may cause adverse psychiatric and physical symptoms such as panic attacks, psychosis, depression, suicidal ideation, increase in body temperature, sleeplessness and dehydration.
However, many users do not realize that MDMA is often adulterated with "bath salts," methamphetamine or ketamine, which they have also ingested when taking the drug. It is reported in excess of 50% of ecstasy distributed in America is adulterated.
Most ecstasy/molly users are unfamiliar with the widespread adulteration of these recreational drugs.
Lake Forest College Vice President for External Relations and Secretary of the College Philip R. Hood says, "Students and young adults using recreational drugs are playing modern day Russian roulette."
The GPF Foundation's second fundraising event was Oct. 19 at the Gorton Center in Lake Forest. For more information, visit www.gpffoundation.org.