January 2020
January 2020
Tackling a New Year!

Thriving Families
The OSAP Northwest Quadrant is excited to share our new Thriving Families video! This campaign is all about building strong and thriving families. The first step in building this type of family is being the biggest influence on your children and teens. This influence requires connection and communication.

“Pre-teens and teens will get their information from somewhere,” say Leigh Moerdyke, Prevention and Advocacy Program Manager at Arbor Circle, “they will either get it from their parents or from somewhere else. As parents, we want the information to come from us. And even though it doesn’t feel like it most days, our pre-teens and teens are listening to us.” 

The new Thriving Families page on the Talksooner.org website is an easy-to-navigate page filled with tips and ideas on how to increase communication, connection and influence with your youth. The first stage of the Thriving Families Campaign will run through mid-February, reminding all parents that your kids are under the influence of something, and it should be YOU. 


OSAP and YouTube
Did you know that OSAP has its own YouTube channel?? We've been busy refreshing it and adding lots of new videos. This can be a great resource for subtly bringing up those hard to talk about topics with your tweens, teens and young adults--just watch one of these and then talk about it!
The OSAP channel is found here

Vaping/Smoking Update
The end of 2019 ushered in a new era as a new law made it illegal to sell tobacco products to anyone under the age of 21. This will help in the ongoing battle to keep all smoking and vaping products away from our youth .

On January 2, the FDA issued a new policy to stop manufacturing, distributing and selling of flavored cartridge-based e-cigarettes, other than tobacco or menthol. Menthol can also be added to this ban at any time .

While the outbreak of vaping related illness has slowed, the CDC continues to advocate that everyone refrain from vaping.

We here at OSAP continue to respond to community requests for town halls to help educate all of us on this evolving and important subject. Be sure to like the OSAP facebook page for updates and more information.

Youth Alcohol Use
I n January, NIDA-the National Institute on Drug Abuse for Teens-released the results of their annual nation-wide survey with 8th, 10th and 12th graders, focusing on their behaviors, attitudes, and values on drug use. 2019 saw a continued decline in both overall alcohol use and binge drinking. This is exciting news as alcohol continues to be the most popular substance used by our youth (followed very closely by vapes/e-cigarettes). There are MANY risks associated with youth alcohol use, including the vulnerability of the developing brain to alcohol use, liver damage as this organ is undergoing rapid development during adolescence, and the impairment of critical emerging thinking skills while under the influence. Let's keep this positive trend going by talking to our youth about the risks of underage drinking--go here for some facts and tips on having this conversation .

Ottawa Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition
Contact Leigh Moerdyke at [email protected]

http://www.arborcircle.org/community-youth-development http://www.arborcircle.org/community-youth-development


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Talk Early. Talk Often. Learn How.  www.talksooner.org