Happy 250th Birthday America!

 

This weekend, our nation celebrates the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence commemorating our independence from Great Britain following the Revolutionary War. On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress approved the final wording of the Declaration for our country to become the United States of America. This historic milestone provides an opportunity to pause and reflect on our nation's past, honor the contributions of all Americans, and look forward to the future that we want to create for next generation and beyond.

July 4 Trivia: What Day was the Declaration of Independence Signed By the Most Delegates? Was it: July 5 - August 2 - July 19 - September 3?

Fireworks displays are usually the highlight of many Independence Day celebrations with colors lighting up the night sky across the nation. According to the Farmers' Almanac, the origins of fireworks originally came from China - but the earliest forms of "firecrackers" came from a discovery almost 2,000 years ago when people would heat bamboo stalks until they blackened and exploded under the pressure of heated air inside them.

Fireworks have been part of the American tradition since the founding of our nation. John Adadms envisioned great celebrations when he wrote a letter on July 3, 1776 - a day before the Continental Congress adopted the final draft of the Declaration of Independence. He said that festivities should include "pomp and parade with shews, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations from one end of the continent to the other from this time forever more." 

The first official fireworks displays began in 1776 with the first Fourth of July fireworks over Philadelphia's night sky, a tradition that continues with spectacular fireworks every July 4 celebration.

Wishing you & your family a safe and happy holiday celebration! 💙👪 💗

Here's a list of Independence Day Events in our area, thanks to our friends at Lakeland Mom.

https://lakelandmom.com/4th-of-july-fireworks-lakeland-polk-county/?

You Make a Difference Every Day in Your Children’s Lives

 

InnerAct Alliance joins our prevention partners at Informed Families and SAMHSA during National Make A Difference to Children Month observed throughout July to encourage parents, caregivers, and influential adults to make a difference and do your best to be drug-free role models to empower kids to reach for the stars! ⭐ 

With substances becoming increasingly dangerous, appealing, addictive, and easier to conceal, taking time to talk about alcohol and drugs with our kids is more important than ever. Research tells us that having two-way family conversations about the risks of substance use and clearly communicating family expectations discouraging use can greatly reduce the likelihood of our children experimenting with alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. 🚫🚭💊

As caring adults, we want to be their most trusted source of information, guidance, and support on these complicated topics. 👪

Trusted Resources

https://www.informedfamilies.org/catalyst/how-to-talk-to-your-kids-about-drug-prevention

https://www.samhsa.gov/talk-they-hear-you/parent-resources/five-conversation-goals

Safe Driving Starts at Home with Clear, Simples Rules

 

The 4th of July holiday weekend is often one of the deadliest stretches of the summer for teen drivers. And with more than 61 million people expected to travel by car over the holiday period, we urge families to make time to have quick and direct conversations about seat belts, distracted driving, and impaired driving before teens hit the road for holiday driving.🧨

Federal data estimates show that about 2,100 teens die each year in automobile crashes. In the summertime when more young drivers are on the roads going to vacations, parties, and late-night outings, an average of about 9 teens die each day.

Impairment is often a factor in these crashes. 2024 July Fourth data cites impairment as a factor in 38% of fatalities - higher than the roughly 30% average across the year. Smartphones and in-car notifications are often the cause and the risk is compounded by excessive speed and inexperienced driving.

Parents can make a difference by setting clear expectations before handing over the car keys - a simple 5-10-minute conversation to go over teh rules of safe driving can save lives. Talk openly and remind your teen to keep their eyes on the road and their phones out of reach when driving to avoid temptation. Stress seat belt use, which has been shown to reduce fatalities by 45% among front-seat occupants and cut risk of severe injury in half.

Let's keep our kids and our roads safe! To read more about safety tips for parents and teens, visit: https://www.100safestdaysofsummer.org/

Lessons from Summer

 

Summertime brings to mind an easier way of life with sunny days and warm nights full of possibilities to engage in activities that invigorate our senses and enliven our souls. Although the vibe may be slow and leisurely, we can embrace summer as a season of growth with time to cultivate new passions, nurture our well-being, and discover new connections with nature and with others.

It's been a while since we featured an inspirational post from our friends at @Positively Present and today seemed as good a time as any to take a look at the practical lessons we can learn from the good ol' summertime!

*Taking time to notice the little things is always worth it

*Rough waters and stormy seas never last forever

*It's good to get out of your own bubble sometimes

*Venturing to new places leads to more self-awareness

*Asking for help is a sign of strength

*Your bottled emotions will come out eventually

*Don't settle for people who block your sunshine

*You don't have to make lemonade with life's lemons

We hope that these colorful reminders will help you let go of what is holding you back - and instead, step out of your comfort zone to channel positive energy and embrace the warmth and vibrant spirit that summer offers to us! 🌞

Prevention Tip: Be Mindful that Our Children Are Always Observing

 

As parents and caregivers, we are the most present and influential role models for our children. Youth are always watching and learning. They observe how we live, cope, celebrate, and make decisions. As such, we must remain mindful of the example we set and the environment we create at all times.

Our prevention partners at Informed Families remind us that prevention begins with awareness, consistency, and everyday choices that help youth see healthy, safe behavior in action. We are happy to share this quick prevention tip as a way to stay present - stay connected - and stay aware by:

*Checking in with our children regularly

*Modeling healthy ways to handle stress

*Keeping routines simple and consistent

*Making safe choices visible

Remember - the goal is not perfection; it is more about awareness, consistency, and care. When youth see adults managing stress and situations in healthy ways, setting limits, making safe choices, and enjoying life without risky behaviors as the focus, they receive an important message that is steady and strong.💪

That's the message that we strive to impart as we support our next best generation of kids! 👪

Florida Targets Gas Station Morphine Drugs

 

In the news this week, Florida officials have announced that they are expanding an emergency ban to target new chemical compounds that bypass previous restrictions on a high-potency kratom extract linked to hundreds of deaths across the state. Since 2013, medical examiners have linked at least 587 overdose deaths to 7-OH and related chemical compound drugs. 

What You Should Know:

*Florida officials are expanding a ban on a dangerous extract from the kratom plant known as 7-OH to target new copycat formulas.

*This high-potency drug that has been linked to hundreds of deaths across the state was previously found on store shelves placed right next to candy.

*Chemicals covered under the expansion include 7-hydroxymitragynine, mitragynine pseudoindoxyl, 7-acetoxymitragynine, 9-hydroxycorynantheidine, 10-hydroxycorynantheidine, MGM-15, and MGM-16.

*Violators of Florida's updated emergency rule could face up to 30 years in prison under the strict new guidelines.

The story, covered on June 22, 2026 on FOX 13 Tampa Bay, reported that not quite a year ago, Florida issued an emergency rule rescheduling 7-OH, the chemical extract from the kratom plant where they remove and high concentrate a product, selling it on the store shelves.

"A product our chemists have analyzed can be 13 times or more potent that morphine," explained Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier. "We rescheduled this, making it unlawful to sell this. Gas station morphine, as we called it, was found in 7-11 and in retail stores up and down the state on shelves right next to candy bars and snacks, at the fingertips of children."

While the state was able to shut down many of the dangerous drugs, officials noted that people try to skirt the system and dodge regulations to profit over public safety.

Future Drug Crackdowns - the state will enforce the newly updated rule to ensure any new chemical compounds used to substitute 7-OH derivatives are completely covered. Officials stated they will continue to fight back against illicit drugs that are smuggled into the country from overseas adversaries. 

Story: https://www.fox13news.com/news/florida-expands-emergency-ban-gas-station-morphine

Daily Marijuana Use May Worsen Pain Over Time

 

As the marijuana industry expands 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 for treatment of 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 into a tub of ice water for as long as the patient can tolerate before needed 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, Wyan, 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. This is 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.