Drug Hiding Places Revealed In Demonstration Trailer

GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo. (CBS4) - First responders often see red flags in homes where someone has overdosed. Now a demonstration trailer will help to show parents the signs to look out for when it comes to drug use.

The Rx Abuse Leadership Initiative of Colorado is bringing together local leaders to address the opioid epidemic in our communities. One way they are doing this is through the Rali Care exhibit.

The exhibit, with law enforcement experts from the organization Code 3, brings a mock teenage bedroom to different neighborhoods. The room itself is filled with signs of drug use.

"When we designed this, we talked to parents who lost kids to addiction and asked what they knew then, what they would have liked to have known and what they want other parents to know," explained Carrie Padgett with Code 3.

Parents are taken on a tour of the room, and shown telltale signs of drug use that may otherwise have gone unnoticed.

"It was eye-opening," explained Elizabeth Quinn, a mother of six who took the tour. "Just seeing the nooks and crannies in the bedroom, and how small paraphernalia and drugs are that kids can get away with."

The tour begins in the bathroom because Padgett says that's the most private place for teenagers to start using drugs. She pointed out to CBS4 several ways to spot drug use, such as soot on the walls or things that just seem "off."

"One mom told us she always saw her son carrying a Coke can but he was never drinking it," Padgett said. "It turns out it was this, a can that is actually a personal safe where you can hide your collection."

The exhibit also teamed up with local leaders to address the opioid epidemic as a whole. State Representative Meg Froelich, The National Alliance on Mental Illness Colorado and Continuum Recovery of Colorado were also available to talk to parents and community members.

The Rali Care exhibit will be at the State Capitol on Monday, Aug. 26 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

LINK: Rali Care Trailers