May 2021 Newsletter

May 2021

Announcements

City of Alexandria Collects 442 lbs. of Unused Medication

On Saturday, April 24, the City of Alexandria collected 442 lbs. of unused, expired and unwanted prescription and over-the-counter medication through National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. SAPCA thanks and recognizes our community partners for helping to make this event a success:

Alexandria Police Department
Alexandria Sheriff's Office
Neighborhood Pharmacy of Del Ray
Fire Station 210
First Baptist Church
Alexandria Opioid Work Group
AlexRenew

Couldn't make it to this event? In Alexandria, you can dispose of unwanted or unused pills, liquids or other medication at permanent medication drop boxes that provide year-round access to safe drug disposal:

Neighborhood Pharmacy: 2204 Mt Vernon Ave.; open Mon - Fri: 9 a.m. - 7 p.m., Sat: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. and Sun: 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Inova Alexandria Hospital: Visitor's Center Lobby (near cashier's window), 4320 Seminary Road; open daily from 1 - 5 p.m.
Alexandria Police Department Headquarters (just inside front entrance, ring bell for access): 3600 Wheeler Ave.; available 7 days a week, 24 hours a day

Click here to learn about the importance of safe medication disposal.

Inova Alexandria Installs New Permanent Drop Box For Needles & Syringes

Inova Alexandria has installed a permanent drop box for safe disposal of needles and syringes. This box is located inside the visitor's entrance at Inova Alexandria Hospital (4320 Seminary Road) near the permanent medication drop box next to the cahier's window; both drop boxes are available daily from 1-5 p.m. Needles are not accepted at permanent medication drop box locations or during drug take back events.

Youth Spotlight: Meet the KeepIt360 Youth Peer Advocates!

SAPCA is excited to introduce the KeepIt360 Youth Peer Advocates! These eight Alexandria youth leaders are part of three City of Alexandria’s Center for Children and Families' prevention programs - the Alexandria Campaign on Adolescent Pregnancy (ACAP), the Sexual Assault Center (SAC), and the Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition of Alexandria (SAPCA). These youth leaders will receive training to provide education, information, and support to other Alexandria Teens on topics of sexual and reproductive health, pregnancy prevention, sexual assault prevention, healthy relationships, and substance use/misuse prevention.

SAPCA Welcomes Marie R. Divine to Board of Directors

SAPCA is excited to welcome Marie Divine to the Board of Directors. Marie is a State Government Affairs Specialist for the College of American Pathologists. Through this role, she supports lobbying efforts across the country on health care issues pertaining to protecting scope of practice, optimizing patient safety, ensuring network adequacy in health insurance plans, continuing laboratory excellence, and advancing the pathologist’s role to meet the needs of the COVID-19 pandemic. Marie also serves on the Alexandria Commission for Women and is engaged on a selective subcommittee focused on examining domestic violence, including other health detriments women face and pursuing innovative solutions.

"I strongly support SAPCA’s efforts to pursue comprehensive substance abuse prevention efforts that ultimately decrease underage substance use and abuse in Alexandria," says Marie. "The City of Alexandria must continue to drive robust and cross-cultural solutions that address substance use abuse by centering the needs of all residents, working collaboratively across diverse sectors, and fostering community engagement."

Marijuana Legalization: What You Need To Know

Virginia Governor Ralph Northam signed a bill on April 21 to legalize adult possession of small amounts of recreational marijuana starting July 1. While this legislation will take several years to become fully enacted, here is what youth, parents and community members should know before the law goes into effect:

It will be legal for adults 21 or older to possess up to an ounce of marijuana. It will also be legal to gift up to an ounce of marijuana to another adult.
Each household will be able to cultivate up to four marijuana plants, but the plants must not be accessible to children.
Any adult who possesses more than an ounce but less than a pound can be subject to a civil penalty of up to $25. Possession of more than a pound of marijuana is a felony punishable by up to 10 years in jail and a fine of up to $250,000.

SAPCA invites you to share science-based information about marijuana with youth, parents and caring adults before and after this law goes into effect. Key facts include:

Marijuana's structure has changed over time

The marijuana available today is much stronger than previous versions; it contains varying levels of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the component responsible for euphoria and intoxication, and cannabidiol (CBD).

The THC concentration in commonly cultivated marijuana plants has increased three-fold between 1995 and 2014 - from 4% to 12%. Concentrated products, commonly known as dabs or waxes, are far more widely available to users and may contain between 23.7% and 75.9% THC.

Marijuana is addictive

Recent data suggest that 30% of those who use marijuana may have some degree of marijuana use disorder. Marijuana use disorder becomes addiction when a person cannot stop using the drug even though it interferes with many aspects of life.

Youth marijuana use can increase risk of a substance use disorder

People who begin using marijuana before the age of 18 are four to seven times more likely to develop a marijuana use disorder than adults. Marijuana use disorder is also often associated with other substance use disorders, behavioral problems, and disability, and goes largely untreated.

Marijuana users may experience physical withdrawal symptoms.

Marijuana use disorders are often associated with dependence -- in which a person feels withdrawal symptoms when not taking the drug. People who use marijuana frequently often report irritability, mood and sleep difficulties, decreased appetite, cravings, restlessness, and/or various forms of physical discomfort that peak within the first week after quitting and last up to two weeks.

It is unsafe for anyone to drive while under the influence of marijuana.

Marijuana significantly impairs judgment, coordination, and reaction time; studies have found a direct relationship between blood THC concentration and impaired driving ability.

Marijuana can remain in the body for days

Although detectable amounts of THC may remain in the body for days or even weeks after use, the noticeable effects of smoked marijuana generally last from 1 to 3 hours, and those of marijuana consumed in food or drink may last for many hours.

No amount of marijuana use during adolescence is known to be safe

Until and unless more is known about the long-term impact, the safest choice for adolescents is not to use marijuana.

Together, we can ensure that community members have the information and tools to make informed choices about their health and future so they can thrive today, tomorrow and in the future.

To learn about other ways to support local efforts to prevent youth substance use and misuse, contact Emma Beall at emma.beall@alexandriava.gov.

City Council Endorses Children and Youth Master Plan

On Saturday, April 17, the Alexandria City Council approved the 2025 Children & Youth Master Plan (CYMP). The CYMP is a roadmap for how our community will work together to create the conditions for all young people to thrive in Alexandria. This plan provides a framework for how the City of Alexandria, Alexandria City Public Schools, and youth-serving organizations will work together to promote equitable access to the resources needed for all children to be healthy, safe and academically successful. Our community is stronger when all young people can realize their potential.

To learn more about the City’s youth and family services, training opportunities, building positive relationships with youth, and how you can make a difference in you community, fill out an online interest form.