40 Years-40 Stories of InnerAct Alliance | Story #32: Celebrating UthMpact Class XV Graduates – Yamil Cordova & Abbi Dicks

 

40 Years-40 Stories| Story #32: Celebrating UthMpact Class XV Graduates - Yamil Cordova and Abbi Dicks

As we continue celebrating our 2025-2026 UthMpact Leadership Class XV graduates, we are honored to highlight two more exceptional young leaders who completed the program on April 1, 2026!

Today, we celebrate UthMpact Graduates:

🎓Yamil Cordova
Yami will be hitchhiking into the Himalyas to find a Tibetan monastery and be trained in their ways. He shared, "I'll come back eventually with something to pass on to my kids." 

🎓 Abbi Dicks
University of Alabama
Majoring in Nursing

The UthMpact Experience - These graduates traveled throughout Polk County on monthly Leadership Days to meet with community leaders and experience the inner workings of local volunteerism, business, government, healthcare, education, and law enforcement. They learned crucial leadership skills while educating their peers about substance abuse prevention through projects like Project Prom, Project HOCO, and the UthMpact Facts social norms campaigns.

Congratulations, Yamil & Abbi! Your unique paths and dedication to leadership have made a lasting impression on our community. We can't wait to see all you'll accomplish! 💪

*UthMpact: https://www.facebook.com/UthMpactPolk

*Contact: Samantha Barwig @ (863) 802-0777

*Support: https://www.inneractalliance.org/donations.html

*Text IAA to 26989

#40Years40Stories #InnerActAlliance #UthMpact #ClassOf 2026 #GraduatingSeniors #FutureLeaders #ProudMoment #PolkCounty #YouthLeadership

“Tobacco Free” Nicotine Product Fallacy

 

Be vigilant because the substance use product market is always changing. The industry promotes tobacco products that are being sold with "tobacco-free" claims. The claims are used to describe either that the products are made with nicotine that is created in a lab (synthetic nicotine) - or that the products contains no tobacco leaf. A recent article on TruthInitiative.org shares the truth about the so-called tobacco-free products - ALL CONTAIN NICOTINE.

"Tobacco-Free" Claims Cause Confusion - young adults may incorrectly interpret the claim "tobacco-free" to believe that it means nicotine is not present in these products. Nicotine products marketed as "tobacco-free" could also create confusion about whether use violates tobacco-free policies in schools, workplaces, and other locations. ALL products containing nicotine should be considered tobacco products and be treated as such in schools and workplaces.

"Tobacco-Free" Claims May Increase Appeal - studies have found that when teens view advertising that claims to promote "tobacco-free" products, these ads tend to reduce perception of harm. In fact, it may actually increase intention to use the products compared to product sales without the claim. A study published by the American Academy of Pediatrics in 2022 reported that flavored non-tobacco oral nicotine products, such as gum, lozenges, and gummies, were the second most prevalent nicotine products used among adolescents after e-cigarettes.

"Tobacco-Free" Nicotine Fallacy - if claims about "tobacco-free" nicotine products sound too good to be true, they probably are. Nicotine in any form is an addictive chemical. 

Stay Safe and Stay Away! 

40 Years-40 Stories of InnerAct Alliance | Story #31: Celebrating UthMpact Class XV Graduates – Eliana Browning & Kendall Castano

40 Years-40 Stories | Story #31: Celebrating UthMpact Class XV Graduates - Elaina Browning & Kendall Castano

As we continue celebrating our 2025-2026 UthMpact Leadership Class XV graduates, we are honored to highlight two more exceptional young leaders who completed the program on April 1, 2026!

Today, we celebrate UthMpact Graduates:

🎓Eliana Browning
Florida Southern College 
Majoring in Art History and Museum Studies

🎓Kendall Castano
University of Florida
Majoring in Economics

The UthMpact Experience - These graduates traveled throughout Polk County on monthly Leadership Days to meet with community leaders and experience the inner workings of local volunteerism, business, government, healthcare, education, and law enforcement. They learned critical leadership skills while educating their peers about substance abuse prevention through project such as Project Prom, Project HOCO, and UthMpact Facts social norms campaigns.

Congratulations, Elaina and Kendall! 🎓 Your dedication to leadership and prevention has made a lasting impact on our community and we can't wait to see all you'll accomplish! 

*UthMpact: https://www.facebook.com/UthMpactPolk?

*Contact: Samantha Barwig @ (863) 802-0777

*Support Prevention: https://www.inneractalliance.org/donations.html

*Text IAA to 26989

#40Years40Stories #InnerActAlliance #UthMpact #ClassOf2026 #GraduatingSeniors #FutureLeaders #ProudMoment #PolkCounty #YouthLeadership

Daily Marijuana Use May Worsen Pain Over Time

 

As the marijuana industry continues to expand its reach, more individuals may contemplate the use of marijuana as a medicine. Data shows that as many as 35% of primary care patients report medical use of marijuana - most commonly used for pain. This idea has historically been a controversial one due to the lack of extensive evidence and mixed opinions from medical care professionals.

A 2023 study performed by the Dept. of Psychiatry & Behavior Sciences at SUNY Upstate Medical University provided some insight into whether marijuana helps chronic pain by using a cold pressor test (CPT) to measure pain tolerance. CPT tests are performed by submerging a participant's forearm in a tub of ice water for as long as the patient can tolerate before needing to withdraw - or three minutes.

Results published in The American Journal on Addictions, revealed that study participants who used marijuana daily had significantly decreased pain tolerance when compared to study participants who didn't use marijuana (Zhang-James, Wyon, Grapsas & Johnson, 2023). 

Such results suggest that use of daily marijuana may actually worsen chronic pain over time by reducing pain tolerance. Additionally, daily marijuana users may also risk addiction. That's why it is important for primary care providers and patients to research all options and consider overall risks before recommending or using medical marijuana for pain management.

Know the effects, risks, and side effects of Marijuana Use and take a quick Marijuana IQ quiz at:

https://www.samhsa.gov/substance-use/learn/marijuana/risks

P.A.U.S.E. – A Helpful Strategy to Calm Anxiety

 

Panic Attacks are sudden episodes of intense fear, that may be accompanied by a racing heart or dizziness, which can happen to anyone. They may be triggered by stress and they're becoming more prevalent in the general population. Studies suggest that nearly 1-in-10 adults may experience a panic attack at some point in their lifetime. Panic attacks can also begin earlier in life, including in youth between the ages of 15 and 25.

In 2024, the American Psychiatric Association's annual poll showed that 43% of adults said they feel more anxious than in previous years - noting that stress (53%) and sleep (40%) had the biggest impact on their mental health. Younger adults age 18-34 years old were more likely than adults to say that social connection had the biggest impact on their mental health.

When you find yourself worrying or feeling stressed, remember to practice calming breathing exercises. It helps to have a trusted "go to" strategy to focus on.

P.A.U.S.E. is a very helpful technique to use for calming when you notice yourself becoming anxious. Steps that focus on prompts such as PAUSE-ACTVITY-UNDERSTAND-SOOTHE-EXHALE encourage us to engage in positive actions to manage and calm anxiety instead of getting caught up in vicious cycles of worry.

Find out more at National Institute of Mental Health

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/panic-disorder-when-fear-overwhelms 

Happy Mother’s Day to the Special Women in Our Lives

 

From moms to grandmas, stepmoms, foster moms, aunts...and all of the amazing women who we look to as mother figures - Happy Mother's Day! 💗

At InnerAct Alliance, we believe prevention begins at home. Strong parental guidance helps to model positive behavior, offer emotional support, and establish a foundation of safety and trust. This belief is backed by statistics that show children who feel supported and connected to a trusted adult are far more likely to make healthy decisions. 🌷

Mothers and Mother Figures help to nurture, guide, and shape the way youth view themselves. Through this love and support, Moms have the power to positively influence the choices their children make each and every day. 👪

On this Mother's Day Weekend, let's all take a moment to cherish, thank, and celebrate the super women who care for children - they make all the difference in the world in so many ways! 💕

40 Years-40 Stories of InnerAct Alliance | Story #30: Celebrating UthMpact Class XV Graduates – Madeline Aranda & Trace Braun

 

40 Years-40 Stories | Story #30 Celebrating UthMpact Class XV Graduates - Madeline Aranda & Trace Braun

UthMpact hosted its graduation ceremony for high school student leaders who successfully completed the 2025-2026 UthMpact Leadership Class XV program on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, at the Magnolia Building in Lakeland. 

This Leadership program is spearheaded by InnerAct Alliance & its coalition partners StandUP Polk and UthMpact, along with business and community partners, to assist teens in development crucial leadership skills. Nearly 550 students representing every high school in the county have been enriched by being a member of the UthMpact Leadership Program since its inception.

Today, we celebrate two outstanding graduates:

🎓 Madeline Aranda
University of Central Florida
Majoring in Advertising

🎓 Trace Braun
University of Miami
Majoring in Marketing

About UthMpact Leadership - UthMpact is a coalition of high school teen leaders who are committed to educating themselves and their peers about key substance abuse prevention messages. Participants have an opportunity to take part in a training retreat and travel throughout the community on monthly Leadership Days to meet with community and business leaders and experience the inner workings of local volunteerism, business, government, healthcare, education, and law enforcement. 

The group's most prominent projects are Project Prom & Prom HOCO, providing formal wear and accessories to high school students and educating about risky behaviors during prom, graduation, and homecoming, as well as the UthMpact Facts social norms program sharing the positives in Polk Youth culture - that most teens are choosing NOT to use substances.

Congratulations, Madeline and Trace! We are so proud of your accomplishments and can't wait to see the incredible things you will achieve in the future!

Follow UthMpact on Social Media
https://www.facebook.com/UthMpactPolk?  

Contact for Information: 
Samantha Barwig
(863) 802-0777

Support Youth Programs
https://www.inneractalliance.org/donations.html

Text IAA to 26989

#40Years40Stories #InnerActAlliance #UthMpact #ClassOf2026 #GraduatingSeniors #FutureLeaders #ProudMoment #PolkCounty #YouthLeadership