Rotary Action Group for Addiction Prevention

Larry Kenemore is the North America Task Force Leader for Rotary Action Group Addiction Prevention (RAG AP) and the representative to the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime Special Consultative Status for Rotary. He is retired as a Paramedic in San Diego, CA and currently resides in Siloam Springs, AR where he is a member of their local Rotary club. He and his team are traveling across Kansas this week to launch Project SMART to eradicate the opioid and overdose crisis. Project SMART =  School Education Medicine and Drug Disposal Awareness. Naloxone Training (opioid overdose antidote) Recovery Treatment.

Taken from https://www.rag-ap.org/en:

The Rotary Action group for Addiction Prevention is a group of Rotarians whose goal is to mobilize Rotarians and to offer worldwide leadership to tackle problems as drugs abuse and addiction in all its forms. This Rotary Action group operates in accordance with the policies of Rotary International but is not an agency of, or is not controlled by, Rotary International.

Vision and Mission

Substance abuse and addiction of illicit drugs is a global problem and can only be addressed by the joint efforts of all worldwide organizations including governments.

In a combined, structured and sustained action, the mission of the Rotarian Action Group for Addiction Prevention is to strengthen those efforts by organizing an international group of Rotary specialists and activists to develop constructive plans of action to be used to initiate prevention of addiction and illicit drugs.

Within Rotary the group will work to inform, stimulate, support and advise clubs and districts how to tackle the problem in a structural long-term manner, with vision and a strategy. They will offer Rotarians a quarterly newsletter, website and opportunities to interact and share ideas for awareness and prevention at conferences and conventions.

Founded in February 2013 and recognized by Rotary International in January 2016, we now operate in more than 42 countries and 45 districts... in accordance with Rotary International policy.

Our aim is to:

• prospect all Rotarians active in prevention of substance abuse and addiction
• bring their expertise together for study and exchange
• learn how Rotary clubs can participate in the struggle agains addiction
• disseminate this knowledge and the developed methodology
• inform and stimulate Rotary Districts and clubs
• integrate addiction prevention as an essential part of their service