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UthMpact Coordinates 2019 Project Hoco Shopping Days on October 12 & 26

UthMpact is proud to present the 5^th season of Project Homecoming to provide formal wear to teens in need. Students with a Polk County School ID can sign a Project Hoco Pledge to celebrate drug-free and receive dresses and suits for FREE!

Student Shopping Days for Project Hoco will take place on Saturday, October 12, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and Saturday, October 26, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., at the Project Prom store in Lakeland Square, 3800 U.S. Highway 98N, in Lakeland (next to Hollister).

Community members are also asked to support this effort by donating gently used dresses, shoes, men’s suits, ties, and other accessories. Formal wear donations may be dropped off on the shopping dates or at the InnerAct Alliance office on weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

UthMpact’s goal is promote a fun and safe Homecoming night. For more information, please contact Samantha Barwig, UthMpact Coordinator, at (863) 802-0777. 

2019-2020 UthMpact Leadership Class IX at Work!

Students from Polk County high schools who have been nominated to participate in the 2019-2020 UthMpact Leadership Class IX have hit the ground running with travels throughout the county each month to experience the inner workings of local business, government, healthcare, education, and law enforcement and meet with influential leaders to suggest proactive solutions to challenges faced in our community.

The first Leadership Day in September was postponed with the pending arrival of Hurricane Dorian, but the group made up for it with a fun and informative Health & Wellness Leadership Day outing on Wednesday, October 2^nd in which students met with a dietitian and visited Lighthouse for the Blind. Other stops included Bartow Regional Medical Center, where students had an opportunity to tour the Cath Lab, OR, and ER departments, and Lakeland Volunteers in Medicine. Decompressing at Kelly Rec rounded out a busy day with a chance for the teens to try some Yoga moves, learn Line Dancing, and power through strength training – even Ms. Sam and Mrs. Cindy joined in the fun at Kelly Rec!

Our hardworking teens have also been busy hosting Project Homecoming Shopping Days on Saturdays to provide formal wear to teens in need at the Project Homecoming store in Lakeland Square Mall.

UthMpact Leadership is unique program, spearheaded by InnerAct Alliance, StandUP Polk, UthMpact, business and community partners, helps teens develop crucial leadership skills.

InnerAct Alliance Stands with the Drug Free America Foundation to Encourage the Ban of THC Products along with Flavored E-Cigarettes

As the U.S. government continues to investigate hundreds of recent cases of severe lung illnesses that may be linked to vaping, Health and Human Services Secretary, Alex Azar, has announced that the Food and Drug Administration will develop guidelines to remove from the market all e-cigarette flavors except tobacco.

InnerAct Alliance and its coalition partners, StandUP Polk and UthMpact, stand in agreement with the government’s proposal to ban thousands of flavors used in e-cigarettes. We join with the Drug Free America Foundation of St. Petersburg, FL - a drug prevention and policy organization committed to developing strategies to prevent drug use and promote sustained recovery – to urge the administration to take the ban one step further to prohibit sale of all THC vaping products. As Amy Ronshausen, executive director of Drug Free America Foundation, explains, “The dangers of marijuana and other THC products to our young people are so significant that the Surgeon General recently issued a health advisory concerning the physical and mental health risks associated with marijuana. The logical next step is to remove THC products, along with flavored e-cigarettes, from the marketplace.”

E-cigarettes are sold in nearly 7,800 flavors including apple pie, cotton candy, gummy bear, and watermelon – flavors known to lure younger users. Once these younger users get hooked on nicotine, there’s a good chance that they will be in for a lifelong habit.

In our home state, statistics from the recent Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey (FYSAS) show that the percentage of Florida youth who currently use e-cigarettes has risen from 9.6 in 2016 to 13.7 in 2018. While the state’s rate of youth e-cig use surpasses that of our county, Polk’s rate still increased from 10.2% (2016) to 12.5% (2018), which translates to approximately 1 in 8 Polk middle and high school students who used e-cigs just last year. 

Many teens began vaping under the guise that it may not be as harmful as smoking traditional cigarettes. However, serious risks are associated with use of any product with nicotine that can lead to addition and long-term health consequences. Conclusive evidence has shown that drinking or injecting e-liquids can be fatal, that exposure to skin or eyes can cause seizures and other serious problems, and that e-cigarette devices can explode causing burns as well as other injuries. 

Surgeon General Warning: “This Ain’t Your Mother’s Marijuana!”

In an August 2019 article by The Associated Press, Health and Human Services Secretary, Alex Azar, and Surgeon General, Jerome Adams, called today’s marijuana “a dangerous drug” and issued a nation-wide warning against its use by adolescents and pregnant women. Marijuana has grown into a $10-billion industry and federal officials fear that the trend toward legalization for medicinal and recreational use in more states may make it easier and more enticing for teenagers to try marijuana, already a commonly used drug among youth, along with alcohol and e-cigarettes.

Scientific research shows that marijuana use by teens carries a risk of affecting brain development, which continues into the 20s, and frequent adolescent use is associated with changes in parts of the brain that are involved with attention, memory, decision-making, and motivation.

Surgeon General Adams advised, “This ain’t your mother’s marijuana” citing that the drug has become considerably stronger with a concentration of THC, the chemical found in marijuana that leads to psychological effects, that may be up to three times more potent than that found in cultivated plants in previous years.

Another serious concern surrounding the change in attitudes about marijuana pertains to its rising use among expectant mothers. According to a 2017 study, about 7% of pregnant women reported using marijuana to help manage morning sickness. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Academy of Pediatrics advise women not to use marijuana during pregnancy and to discontinue use if they find out they are pregnant since its use may also pose a serious risk to the developing brain of the human fetus.

To read more, visit this link to the AP News article: https://www.apnews.com/3bfbeecf9c654c76b6037ffb4ec20188

Talking to Kids About Alcohol & Other Drugs

With a new school year comes new risks that expose kids to alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. Children tend to be more accepting of alcohol and marijuana use as they transition from elementary to middle school and middle to high school.

Research suggests that one of the most important factors in healthy child development is a strong, open relationship with a parent. This is a perfect time to talk to your children about alcohol and other drugs before they are exposed to them – as early as 9 years old – and keep the conversation going throughout the school year.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) offers these and other helpful tips on their website at samhas.gov:

Show you disapprove of underage drinking and other drug misuse - Over 80% of young people ages 10-18 ay their parents are the leading influence on their decision whether to drink. Send a clear and strong message that you disapprove of underage drinking and use and misuse of other drugs. 

Show you care about your child’s health, wellness, and success – Young people are more likely to listen when they know you’re on their side. Reinforce why you don’t want your child to drink or use other drugs – because you want them to be happy and safe. The conversation will go a lot better if you’re open and show concern.

Show you’re a good source of information about alcohol and other drugs – You want your child to make informed decisions about alcohol and other drugs with reliable information about its dangers. You don’t want your child to learn from unreliable sources. Establish yourself as a trustworthy source of information.

Show you’re paying attention and you’ll discourage risky behaviors – Show you’re aware of what your child is up to. Young people are more likely to drink or use other drugs if they think no one will notice. Do this subtly, without prying.

Build your child’s skills and strategies for avoiding drinking and drug use – Even if you don’t think you child wants to drink or try other drugs, peer pressure is a powerful thing. Having a plan to avoid alcohol and drug use can help children make better choices. Talk with your child about what they would do if faced with a decision like this, such as texting a code to a family member or practicing how they will say “no thanks.”

NATIONAL PRESCRIPTION DRUG TAKE-BACK DAY Saturday, October 26, 2019

NATIONAL PRESCRIPTION DRUG TAKE-BACK DAY

Saturday, October 26, 2019

StandUP Polk and local law enforcement agencies are proud to join The Drug Enforcement Administration and its national and community partners for National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day on Saturday, October 26, 2019, from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, for citizens to dispose of unwanted, unneeded, and expired medications in a safe manner. National Prescription Drug Take Back Day provides a convenient and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of medication. Studies show that medicines in home cabinets are highly susceptible to misuse and abuse.

Our community’s Prescription Drug Take-Back Day will include the following locations in Polk County for citizens to turn in unused, expired, or unwanted Human and Pet Medications, as well as over the counter medications, vitamins, and other medication in liquid and solid form, for proper disposal. Medications should be placed in a clear, air-tight plastic bag.  Drop-off locations from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm are:

Auburndale Police Department – 2 Bobby Green Plaza, Auburndale, FL
Bartow Police Department – 450 North Broadway Avenue, Bartow, FL
Haines City Police Department – 35400 Highway 27, Haines City, FL
Lakeland Police Department – 219 N. Massachusetts Avenue, Lakeland, FL
Lake Alfred Police Department – 190 N. Seminole Avenue, Lake Alfred, FL
Lake Hamilton Police Department – 100 Smith Avenue, Lake Hamilton, FL
Lake Wales Police Department - 133 E. Tillman Avenue, Lake Wales, FL
Winter Haven Police Department – 125 N. Lake Silver Drive NW, Winter Haven, FL

Unwanted medications may also be taken to the county’s permanent drop sites, funded by Givewell Community Foundation, at the Police Department locations in: Auburndale (weekdays 8-5); Haines City (weekdays 8-5); Lake Alfred (24hrs/7days); Lake Hamilton (weekdays 8-5); Lakeland (24hrs/7days); and Winter Haven (weekdays 8-5).  To avoid harming lakes and ground water, please do not dispose of medication in the toilet.  

Previous medication collections held in Polk County since 2010 have resulted in 18,573 pounds of recovered pharmaceuticals safely disposed of via incineration.

StandUP Polk is a community coalition working together to prevent harm and promote health through education, public awareness, and advocacy including strategies to prevent youth substance abuse. For more information on the local Prescription Drug Take-Back event, please contact StandUP Polk at (863) 802-0777.