Welcome to SUPE
SUPE stands for Substance Use Prevention Education; our goal is to educate people through online technology about the dangers of drugs and alcohol. We want to reach many layers of society so everyone can profit from our knowledge. We believe education is the best way to reduce the number of people needing treatment. This is why we created SUPE, Substance Use Prevention and Education, so everyone can learn about the dangers of drugs and how to help those who may be affected by substance use.
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Poor drug education contributed to my outlook on drugs and my past drug use. I created SUPE so others don’t fall victim to the harmful effects of drugs and alcohol.
Marcel Gemme, Founder
Our Story
Our team has worked in addiction recovery for decades, helping people with substance use problems. We have also worked with individuals close to those with a problem with drugs and alcohol, such as parents, friends, and employers. Over time, we observed that taking one person at a time, getting them into treatment, and sometimes they have to do more than one treatment would be impossible to make an impact big enough to reverse this spiral. It does not make a significant difference. Even though we still help people with substance use problems. The solution was to take people before they started using and educate them. A few hours can prevent hundreds of hours of treatment, but more importantly, it prevents the destruction of the life of people abusing drugs and the ones loving them.
Our motto is Live a Drug-Free Life! We believe that people can live happily without drugs.
Who Will It Serve?
When starting drug education and prevention emerged, the first thought was we needed to do this for kids. But something was missing. Who will teach the kids? the teachers and parents, so we came up with the idea that we also need to teach them how to teach. Then we questioned who deals with someone with possible substance abuse. Police officers, social workers, anyone in the community, and business owners. They all have to deal at some times with employees with substance use problems. We then extended our education and prevention, providing eight topics that make our site one of the most comprehensive drug education and prevention.
Meet Our Team
The Founder
Marcel Gemme
Marcel Gemme has been helping people struggling with substance use for over 20 years. He started as an intake counselor for a drug rehabilitation center in 2000. In 2004, with drug and alcohol problems constantly increasing, he created his first website to reach and help a more significant number of people. As the need for substance use services continued to grow, in 2009, the website Addicted.org was created under the organization DRS USA. Drug Rehab Services has become a leader in North America in substance use resources. Marcel and DRS’s ultimate goal is to provide a threefold approach to substance use and addiction recovery that focuses on education, prevention, and rehabilitation.
Our Editorial Team
Michael Leach
Michael Leach is a Certified Clinical Medical Assistant, CCMA, who has worked in addiction for the past seven years. He was the Director of Rehabilitation at the New Life Retreat in Louisiana before starting his journey with Addicted.org three years ago. Michael spent most of his career training under the board-certified Addictionologist Dr. Rohit Adi. His experience includes working with families during their loved one’s stay in treatment, helping those with substance abuse issues find treatment, and teaching life skills to patients in a recovery atmosphere.
Nickolaus Hayes
Nickolaus Hayes is an experienced healthcare professional who has been researching and writing about substance use disorders for the past 15 years. He is dedicated to publishing up-to-date information about drugs, alcohol, and substance abuse. His passion for increasing awareness and prevention stems from his decade-long battle with addiction. Once sober, he made it his life’s mission to help others struggling with substance use disorders.
Our Education Experts
Dr. Jeremy Cohen
Dr. Cohen holds advanced degrees in education, including a Master’s in Special Education, a Master’s in School Leadership, and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership and Innovation. With over a decade of experience in the field of education, Dr. Cohen brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his role as Educational Director of SUPE. He is committed to lifelong learning and continuous improvement, which makes him a perfect fit got the SUPE team. As a devoted parent, Dr. Cohen understands the importance of a quality drug education and is personally invested in ensuring the content in SUPE can be easily taught and more importantly learned.
Ryan Davis
Ryan has been in education for over twelve years, the first eight years of his career as a high school social studies teacher at Piscataway High School, in Piscataway, NJ. Since July of 2018, he has been a K-8 curriculum planner at Classical Charter Schools, a network of high-performing charter schools in the South Bronx, NY. Ryan holds both a B.A. and M.Ed. from Rutgers University and is a State Certified Administrator.
The Architect
Claudia Gemme
Claudia Gemme is an experienced web developer who is also specialized in animation and video production. She has a passion for helping others and utilizes her talents to bring drug education to life.
Our Mascot
SUPE - The Gentle Dragon
The dragon has a different meaning depending on the part of the world. It is often associated with strength, courage, and good luck. Dragons are also seen as wise and all-knowing creatures. They’re often associated with protection, especially for those who cannot protect themselves. SUPE was the perfect choice to protect people from the harm of drugs and alcohol through education and prevention.
Our Partners
