Concerned About a Friend? You Can Make a Difference!

 

InnerAct Alliance joins our prevention partners at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to remind everyone that it's never too late to make a difference in the lives of our family members and friends. 

If you have noticed someone in your life showing signs of a mental or substance use disorder, the first thing you should do is talk to them. It's not an easy conversation to have but it's important to reach out - it could be exactly the encouragement they need to seek help. 

SAMHSA has shared some easy conversation starter suggestions to help you to offer support...

You can make a big difference simply by letting your friend know you are there for them. Remind them that asking for help is a normal part of life. 

Additional support: https://www.samhsa.gov/mental-health/children-and-families/young-adults or call 1-800-662-HELP (4357). 

Risks of Marijuana & Driving

 

Marijuana can impair judgment and reaction time longer than many people realize. That is what makes driving under the influence of marijuana illegal and highly dangerous. 

Cannabis significantly disrupts the critical skills required to operate a motor vehicle safely. It impairs motor coordination, slows reaction time to brake and process potential hazards, affects judgment of distances, peripheral vision, and tracking time, and the ability to keep your vehicle in its lane leading to drifting. 

Florida has a zero-tolerance policy for drug-impaired driving. There is no "legal limit" for having THC in your system. If a law enforcement officer determines that you are impaired by cannabis, you can be charged with a DUI which carries heavy fines, license suspension, and potential jail time.

Our prevention partners at the Partnership to End Addiction have shared some practical tips for talking to your loved ones about cannabis and driving - whether they may drive under the influence of using marijuana themselves or may think about getting into a car with someone who has recently used marijuana. Either way, it is a very risky situation.

Please take the time to read this informative article and share the important information with your loved ones: 

https://drugfree.org/article/marijuana-and-driving/?utm_campaign=2023_Resource%20Newsletter&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_jOrwQ1IJn6rUmutnU4S6GjoAx78FPsp8k-VYCDHhdf3_Ftv3wnTQktxqyf0dJv2xY0VtpdiKC-zSLglFZmh5XHHbzSQ&_hsmi=427488105&utm_content=427488105&utm_source=hs_email

We all have a responsibility to keep Florida's roads safe - stay informed, don't drive impaired, and teach your children who are drivers to stay clean when behind the wheel. Share with your kids that driving high is driving impaired. They can potentially hurt themselves. They can hurt others. They could face serious legal and monetary consequences as a result of a DUI arrest.

ZYN Nicotine Patches Are in The News Again

 

ZYN is back in the headlines but this time the news may cause some mixed messages. Recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allowed specific ZYN nicotine pouch products to be marketed with a reduced-risk claim - but this claim is only meant for adults who smoke cigarettes and completely switch to ZYN. Basically, the FDA is allowing certain messaging that says switching from cigarettes to these specific nicotine pouches may lower the risk of certain smoking-related diseases.

This does not mean that ZYN is safe for kids, teens, young adults, or anyone who does not already use nicotine. Nicotine pouches may look trendy, clean, and discreet, but they still contain nicotine, which is highly addictive especially for those with developing brains.

Nicotine pouches, like ZYN, are small packets that are used by placing them between the lip and gum. They do not create any smoke or vapor, which makes them easier to hide than cigarettes or vapes. They are often sold in small round containers that look similar to mints or gum. They come in flavors like mint, citrus, cinnamon, coffee, or wintergreen. Because they're discreet, teens may not think they're a "big deal" but nicotine is still nicotine.

Even nicotine pouches marketed as "tobacco or smoke free" can be dangerous because teens see words like "lower risk" and may wrongly assume that the product is safe.

Take a minute to remind your kids that the healthiest choice for being risk-free is not to start using at all.🚭

Keep the lines of communication open so your child knows they can always come to you with their questions, pressures, or mistakes. 

Teach Kids to Pause & Recognize Digital Peer Pressure

 

There's no end to the pressures that youth are presented with on a daily basis. Be sure to talk to them about messages that may come up on their phones that could pressure them into doing things they do not necessarily want to do but may do against their better judgment.

Our prevention partners at Informed Families put out this important reminder that digital peer pressure does not always happen in person. Sometimes it begins in a text, a group chat, or a message that can put your child in a tough spot.

When children see messages like "Don't tell your parent," "Everyone is doing it," or "Just send it", they need a simple way to pause before responding. 

Teach them The Group Chat Test starting with: Would I still feel okay about this if a trusted adult saw it?

That one question could help kids slow down, recognize pressure, and make safer choices online. The goal is not to scare kids, but to help them to pause, think, and know they always have a way out.

Prevention starts with connection - remember that small conversations now make a big difference later.

IAA Had a Blast at This Weekend’s Back to School Bash!

 

Even though it's still only July, it's never too early to start preparing for back to school! 🏫 

InnerAct Alliance was happy to join the Polk Sheriff's Charities for their 2026 Back to School Bash this past Saturday, July 11, at the PCSO Southwest District office in Lakeland. Miss Tammy and Miss Michelle were on hand with resource information and free giveaways that everyone enjoyed!

1,000 backpacks filled with school supplies were given out while supplies lasted. 📓✐ Families also enjoyed fun activities including face painting, a balloon artist, food trucks, and games throughout the three-hour event.

Mark your calendar for the next Back to School Bash event, which will take place on Saturday, July 25, at the PCSO Northeast District Office on Dunson Road in Davenport. Look for more details on the Polk County Sheriff's Office Facebook page coming soon! 

https://www.facebook.com/polkcountysheriff/

Addiction Policy Forum Launches New Prevention Resources in English & Spanish

 

Addiction Policy Forum is proud to share that their free, self-paced online prevention e-Course - Protect Your Brain/Protege tu Cerebro - is now available in both English and Spanish. Developed to help youth, parents, families, educators, and communities better understand brain health and substance use prevention, the course provides engaging, evidence-informed education that empowers young people to make healthy decisions and build lifelong protective skills.

Unlike many traditional prevention programs, Protect Your Brain/Protege tu Cerebro introduces middle and high school students to the science of brain development and healthy literacy while helping them build practical skills for everyday life. The e-Course takes approximately 20-30 minutes to complete and uses age-appropriate language and visuals to teach essential skills for mental wellness, healthy decision-making, and addiction prevention.

Through interactive lessons, students will have an opportunity to explore:

*How the adolescent brain develops
*Risk & protective factors that influence development of a substance use disorder
*Healthy coping strategies
*Building resilience and decision-making skills

The Addiction Policy Form media release lists more than 30 national, state, and community organizations who have joined the launch to help bring the free resources to communities:

https://www.addictionpolicy.org/post/addiction-policy-forum-launches-free-prevention-online-course-in-english-and-spanish-to-expand-acces   

Click here to take the Protect Your Brain/Protege tu Cerebro e-Course:
https://www.addictionpolicy.org/post/apf-and-30-partners-nationwide-launch-new-spanish-language-prevention-resources-for-teens

Problems with THC-Infused Candy and Snacks

 

Health issues related to THC-infused snacks and candy are a problem that is become worse in recent years with cases affecting children spreading across our nation. A study by the American Academy of Pediatrics of National Poison Data found a 1,375% increase in children under age 6 ingesting edible cannabis from 2017 to 2021, with 207 reported cases in 2017 and 3,064 cases in 2021.

Law enforcement reports seizing THC products that mimic bags of popular snacks like Doritos, Fritos, Chips Ahoy, and kids' sweet cereals like Fruity Pebbles, Reese's Puffs, and more. If parents or older siblings bring these types of THC-infused snacks into the home and a child sees them lying around, they are very likely to eat them and become sick. Kids may not be aware that these particular edibles are different than the usual snacks they have access to in their home because the packaging looks so similar.

Keeping THC snacks in a home with children present poses a severe risk of accidental poisoning. Adult size doses of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) are highly concentrated and consumption by a child can lead to severe clinical complication. ER doctors often face challenges with diagnosis when children are brought into the hospital in various altered mental states after eating THC products - especially when the parents are not aware that their child may have ingested a toxic food product.

With unintentional THC consumption becoming more common, some doctors want to change the process in which children are examined in the hope of identifying THC as the cause for an altered state sooner. Many doctors have begun advocating for urine toxicology tests to be done immediately since recovery time depends on how much THC is actually consumed.

The best way to keep kids safe is not to bring edibles into the home in the first place. However, if these THC products are present in the home, take the necessary steps to keep them out of the reach of children. Better safe than sorry!