Drug Free Greater Lowell is an educational resource rich website run by the Lowell Health Department in collaboration with the communities of Billerica, Chelmsford, Dracut, Lowell, Tewksbury, Tyngsborough, Westford and Wilmington. These eight communities have worked together since 2008 beginning as Lowell MOAPC grant initiative concentrating on Opioids use and harm reduction, and the Tewksbury SAPC concentrating on underage drinking and other drug use in our youth.
In 2020, the communities rebranded themselves as the Prevention Partners of Northern Middlesex (PPNM) and continue to work on all aspects of prevention across the region. PPNM is made up of professionals and community members from police, public health, EMS, community and mental health departments who are embedded directly in the communities and work to meet the immediate prevention needs while pooling efforts and knowledge to enhance prevention efforts for the Greater Lowell area as a whole.
Currently we are part of a new initiative that concentrates on “substances of first use—alcohol, cannabis and nicotine” and are in the process of assessing community needs under a trauma informed health inequity lens.
To learn more about our program and resources, or to become more involved, community members can reach out to Maria Ruggiero at mruggiero@tewksbury-ma.gov.
Please like PPNM at @regionalPPNM on Facebook.