July OSAP newsletter

July 2019

The Dog Days of Summer!

Summer: The season for experimentation?

Summer is supposed to be a time full of fun: family vacations, going to the beach or the pool, or just relaxing at home. However, a recent study has shown that it is also the time when more people experiment with drugs for the first time. Summer can be a time of gatherings and parties which can provide more time and places to try substances. While this is a sobering statistic, it also offers an opportunity to connect with your youth this summer. This gives you time to do things together or as a family, and to make sure they have positive activities away from you. It also offers all of us the chance to realize that we don't always have to have alcohol (or other substances) at every event; we can make great memories on our own.

You can find the whole story here

Progress continues to be made to curb youth access to e-cigarettes.

On July 15, the acting FDA commissioner issued a statement outlining their ongoing efforts to address the epidemic of youth vaping, saying "we (the FDA) remain committed to tackling the epidemic of youth vaping using all available regulatory tools at our disposal. We will continue to take vigorous enforcement actions aimed at ensuring e-cigarettes and other tobacco products aren’t being marketed to, or sold to, kids." This statement was in response to a ruling in early July that required ALL e-cigarette manufacturers to submit applications for their currently marketed products to the FDA within 10 months.

Read his statement here

As part of its "The Real Cost" Youth E-Cigarette Prevention campaign, the FDA released a series of PSAs aimed at educating teens about the risks and dangers of e-cigarette use. The ads feature Julius Dein, a popular street magician, turning vapes into cigarettes and then talking about the fact that teens who vape are more likely to start smoking cigarettes. The ads are part of a multi-faceted media campaign that posters specially designed for school bathrooms-where many teens go to vape. There are also lesson plans and resources aimed at educating middle schoolers on the risks associated with vaping.

. Read more about this campaign here ; watch the PSA and be the "cool" parent who has seen it first so you can talk to your youth abut vaping.

Social Hosting

Alcohol is still the most commonly abused drugs by our youth. In response to this, some parents think it's best to offer alcohol at home, under supervision. However, a recent study that followed more than 1900 adolescents and their families showed that youth who were supplied alcohol by their parents had a significantly higher rate of binge drinking, alcohol-related harm and symptoms of alcohol use disorder than those had had not been given alcohol by their parents. In Michigan, it is against the law to supply alcohol to minors. The social host law addresses anyone, regardless of age, who provides a place or setting where underage drinking occurs, regardless of who provides the alcohol. While there are stiff penalties associated with this, the harsher cost is found in the alarming increase in harm to the youth themselves that this practice can cause.

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

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