Risks of Vaping & E-Cigarette Use for Youth

 

According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) and the 2024 National Youth Tobacco Survey, e-cigarettes were the most commonly-used tobacco product among middle and high school students with 1.63 million (69%) currently using e-cigarettes - this includes 410,000 (3.5%) middle school students and 1.21 (7.8%) high school students.

E-cigarettes are electronic devices that heat liquid and produce an aerosol or mis of small particles in the air. Often they are used to inhale nicotine and marijuana. 

Most tobacco use starts and is established during adolescence. No tobacco products, especially e-cigarettes, are safe for children, teens, and young adults. Knowing the facts may help to counteract the myths about vaping and e-cigarettes that appear on the internet and social media, on TV, in movies and music, or talked about among friends.

The CDC offers the following Quick Facts that are important for everyone to know:

*Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine, which is highly addictive. Nicotine can harm the parts of an adolescent's brain that controls attention, learning, mood, and impulse control

*E-cigarette vapor can contain harmful substances such as nicotine, cancer-causing chemicals, heavy metals such as nickel, tin, lead, and flavorings that have been linked to lung disease

*E-cigarette marketing, the availability of flavored products, social influences, and effects of nicotine and influence youth to start or continue vaping

*E-cigarette use can increase risk for future addiction to other drugs

*Smoking and vaping can harm your lungs by weaking normal defenses that help fight bacteria and disease, causing lasting airway inflammation, and cause more severe symptoms if you come down with a cold or virus

Learn more: https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/e-cigarettes/youth.html?

Facts About Illicit Fentanyl

 

This message cannot be repeated often enough - just 2 milligrams of fentanyl can be enough to kill. That's about the size of 5-7 grains of table salt.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid, similar to morphine, but about 100 times more potent. It has a legitimate medical use when prescribed by a licensed medical professional to treat patients with chronic severe pain or severe pain following surgery.

Illicit fentanyl is primarily manufactured in clandestine labs and smuggled into the U.S. to be sold on the illegal drug market. The tasteless, odorless substance can be added to fake tablets or mixed with other illicit drugs like heroin or cocaine - often without the user knowing it is there.⚠

Just 2 milligrams of fentanyl can be lethal, depending on a person's body size, tolerance, and past usage. A fentanyl overdose can happen in seconds or minutes and lead to respiratory failure or death.🕱

InnerAct Alliance is committed to keeping our community informed and sharing evidence-based educational programs to prevent substance abuse and promote healthy choices. Talking about the dangers of fentanyl and supporting youth not to use illegal drugs is the best prevention. Even if you believe your child would never touch a drug of any kind, talk with them about the dangers of experimentation. Knowledge saves lives!

Self-Care Suggestions for March

 

A new month is upon us so what better time to feature Positively Present's self-care suggestions for March! Self-care is an important part of wellness. It is the time and energy you put into taking care of both your mental health and physical health. 

Some cool ideas from this colorful graphic include creating new connections, noticing beautiful moments, tuning into your intuition, and even enjoying breakfast at midnight...or even for dinner!🥚🥓

Self-care practices look a little different for each person - based on their own personal wants and needs. It can help you become more aware of how you feel and what is happening around you.🧘When you take time to care of yourself, you are better able to fully engage in life's experiences and who knows, you may even expand your wisdom and understanding. 

When your mind, body, and soul are balanced and healthy, you are more likely to feel in harmony with yourself and your goals. So, choose a suggestion for March Self-Care and enjoy it for a day, a week, or maybe even for the whole month!😊

Dealing with Peer Pressure & Influence

 

Peer pressure, or influence, comes in all shapes and sizes - some good, some bad. It can have a tremendous impact on a young person's behavior. Research shows the most impressionable age for peer influence seems to be the middle school years when children are forming new relationships and choosing their identity among friends. This is also the most common age when kids begin experimenting with alcohol, tobacco, drugs, and other risky behaviors. Often, the drive to engage in this kind of behavior is the result of peer pressure - and the pressure to conform is very real at this age.

Prevention partners at "Talk It Out" describe the 6 types of peer pressure and offer tips for parents who want to help their child make healthy, life-long choices:

*Spoken Peer Pressure - this type of peer pressure occurs when a teen asks, suggests, or persuades others to engage in a specific behavior. If this is done one-to-one, the recipient of the influence has a stronger chance of adhering to their own core values. But if done in a group setting, pressure to go along with everyone can be high.

*Unspoken Peer Pressure - occurs when a teen is exposed to the actions of one or more peers and is left to choose whether they want to follow along. Many young teens may lack the mental maturity to control impulses and make wise long-term decisions, so they tend to be more susceptible to influence from older or more popular friends.

*Direct Peer Pressure - this type of peer pressure can be spoken or unspoken and is normally behavior-centric. Examples may be when a teen hands another teen an alcoholic drink, makes a sexual advance, or looks at another student's paper during a test. The other teen is faced with having to make an on-the-spot decision. 

*Indirect Peer Pressure - similar to unspoken peer pressure, indirect peer pressure can be subtle but also be a strong influence on impressionable youth. When a teen overhears a friend gossiping then reacts to the gossip, that is an example of indirect peer pressure. Or if a middle schooler learns that the popular kids' parties include alcohol or drugs - that indirect pressure may tempt them to experiment as a way to gain acceptance.

*Negative Peer Pressure - an example of negative peer pressure is asking a young teen to engage in behavior that is against their moral code or family values. Teens see the actions of others with stronger personalities and are put in a position to follow the leader or walk away. Often teens find themselves engaging in behavior that goes against their beliefs because they want acceptance. They may lack the skills to come up with a quick excuse or reason to say no.

*Positive Peer Pressure - a group dynamic can be a very positive peer influence if behaviors are healthy, age-appropriate, and socially acceptable. Examples may be when a peer group wants to make good grades, teens can be positively influenced to study...or when the school football team pledges to abstain from drinking to stay healthy, other students may adopt the same behavior. 

Despite the inevitable influence of friends, many teens say that their parents remain the strongest influence in their lives. Key components for parents to maintain positive influence on their teens are: understanding the types of peer pressure their teen may face, supporting healthy relationships, modeling responsible behavior, and keeping an open, judgment-free family dialogue flowing. 

For more tips: https://www.talkitoutnc.org/

Friday Focus: Challenge Yourself

 

Have you ever felt like you were stuck in a rut? Or that your daily activities didn't seem as fulfilling as they once were? That's normal. People grow and change with time. Goals and interests may change along with them.

One way to check in with yourself when you feel stuck or like life has just become too routine is to challenge yourself. Try something new. Push yourself out of your comfort zone. Do something unexpected.💪

Some ways to change yourself include:

* Aim for an extra block when you walk around your neighborhood

* Push yourself to learn something new - a new word or task every day

* Read books you've always wanted to - even ones that are long and daunting

* Try a new hobby

Find what feels good for you. Try out a few different activities and discover what makes you feel the most grounded and connected. Remember, every person is different. What feeds someone else's soul might not feed yours. And that's okay. Focus on your needs and little by little you may start to feel your mind, body, and soul begin to grow.

Thursday Thoughts: Be a Guiding Light for Your Children

 

Childhood is often pictured as happy-go-lucky and carefree, but like adults, children can also feel sad. When children are feeling down, it's important to know how to help them deal with emotions they may not yet know how to navigate. Let them know they are not alone and that everyone feels sad sometimes. This helps validate their emotions and reassures them that sad times are part of life, just as much as happy times.🧒

A great way to encourage children to share what is bothering them can be during playtime with play dough, sand, or water play. They can also draw or paint a picture to describe how they are feeling. These are tactile activities they can do while working out their feelings.✎🖌 Acting out through pretend play is another good way for children to make sense of what is happening in their lives. Practicing calm breathing or taking a walk or run can also help release sadness and stress.😔

Take time to connect with your children. Be their guiding light🌟so your child knows from a young age that they can come to you about anything - without fear of judgment or punishment.

Tips for Starting Prevention Talk with Young Children

 

Parents are the biggest influences in their child's life and honest conversations are powerful ways to connect with your kids and help them develop into healthy adults. But parents may wonder how young is too young to begin the "drug talk"?

Age-appropriate teachable moments come up all the time and at any age to help your child understand risks related to substance use. Even preschoolers can benefit from these natural opportunities for discussion.

It's all about building the foundation for healthy habits. One example is talking about their daily vitamin. Parents can explain how vitamins help your body grow strong, but how it is important to only take what mom or dad give them and how too many vitamins can hurt or make them sick. Another example can be when your child has a cold or flu - this presents an opportunity to explain how medicine can help when you're sick, but only when your parent or doctor gives it to you.😷

All of these scenarios can lay the foundation for teachable prevention moments for preschoolers without overwhelming them with too much information. At this age, it is about learning opportunities - like how to take good care of their bodies by eating right and getting good exercise and sleep.🛌

There are also opportunities to teach them about dangerous cleaning products and chemicals found in homes and why it is important to use them properly but also keep them safely stowed away.🧽

Another great lesson can be learned when you work with your child to find possible solutions to problems because it helps them gain confidence in their own ability to problem-solve and make decisions. These are important building blocks that will help kids through all of their ages and stages of life.