🌿4/20 in Focus🌿

🌿 With 4/20 just around the corner, it’s a good time to take a closer look at what’s showing up in your world—especially your social feeds. From flash sales and promotions to local events, messaging around cannabis is everywhere.

And remember, it’s not just in “legal” states—intoxicating hemp products are part of the 4/20 conversation too, meaning you’re likely seeing these products marketed in your community regardless of state laws. Stay aware, be informed, and pay attention to what’s being promoted around you and to youth! 👀

🔎Learn more about the history and culture of 420 from PBS and the legal history of cannabis reforms from the American Public Health Association.

📻 Timely Repeat - Hemp's Buzz🎙️

Recently I joined “Capitol Chats” hosted by WisPolitics to discuss Wisconsin’s “Wild West” of unregulated intoxicating hemp products, the potential impact of a federal ban, and what policymakers should consider if regulation keeps these products on shelves.

My main points:

👉“This is a prevention issue—not just a policy issue.”

👉"Legal does not equal safe."

👉“If it can impair, it should be regulated.”

Take a few minutes to listen to the 8-minute interview—and let me know your thoughts or how I can support your efforts!

✨This Week’s Top Stories🗞️

Ibogaine: Trump expected to sign executive order urging more research into the psychedelic CNN

Another take...Trump to sign executive order on a psychedelic drug used abroad for PTSD CBS News

So what is Ibogaine? 🍄 It’s a psychedelic substance believed to act on serotonin transporters to produce psychoactive effects. 🧠 As with any substance, there are risks ⚠️ that may outweigh the rewards. Learn more at Addiction Center and Partnership to End Addiction/

Oops! Woman Lights Cigarette While Driving, Blows Up Her Minivan Carrying A Leaking Propane Tank Jalopnik via Yahoo

...A woman was injured last week when authorities believe she attempted to light a cigarette while driving a Chrysler Pacifica that was hauling a propane cylinder that, unbeknownst to her, was leaking, causing a massive explosion. The force of the blast was so significant that it literally blew the metal roof clean off of the Pacifica, as well as all the windows and doors, launching some components more than 100 feet away from the van, into the yards of nearby homes. Miraculously, the driver was okay...

Willy Wonka chocolate bars with 'special ingredient' hidden inside MSN

The surprising ways cannabis may affect the aging brain Washington Post via Yahoo

A cheap, 3D-printed device could become marijuana breathalyzer police have been waiting for Oregonlive

What are you questions about women and cannabis? CNN

Arkansas State Police seize more than 1,300 pounds of illegal gummies in Crawford County 5News (AR)

'Not your parents' cannabis' - Legalization lights up innovation, but not clinical research Medical Xpress

🌿Wondering what the current medical and recreational marijuana status is across the United States?🗺️ Laws continue to shift, with most states now allowing some form of medical use and many permitting recreational use—while others still have strict limitations. Check out this USA Today map to see where your state stands and how policies compare nationwide.

Hundreds turn out to oppose plans for addiction recovery center in San Pedro Los Angeles Times

Fred Brown Recovery Services wants to acquire a five-acre property in San Pedro for a 122-bed inpatient recovery facility and has promised to engage the community on any concerns.
Residents don’t object to sobriety treatment but say the proposed location is too close to schools and other sensitive locations.
The property previously was owned by Little Sisters of the Poor, which operated a home for the elderly on the site.

Protests like this are not new when it comes to supportive housing and treatment centers for recovery, domestic abuse, and transitional living—underscoring the persistent stigma and barriers these essential services face❤️💙💚💛💜

Coast Guard offloads enough cocaine to kill more than 1.4 million Americans 📰📸US Coast Guard

Trust, but verify: CBP officers seize over $1.1 million in cocaine from trusted traveler at Ysidro Port of Entry US Customs & Border Protection

Colombia to euthanize dozens of 'cocaine hippos' linked to drug lord Pablo Escobar in bid to control population CBS News

Study shows how chronic cocaine use alters brain to seek more University of Texas at Dallas

Historic decline in U.S. overdose deaths threatened by changing street drug supply NPR

The list of new chemical substances is dizzying. There are dangerously powerful sedatives like medetomidine, which can damage the human heart, and xylazine, sometimes known as tranq, which often causes devastating flesh lesions. Public health officials say new types of synthetic opioids, including cychlorphine and nitazenes, are often more potent than fentanyl...These unpredictable drug "cocktails" are also often resistant to standard medical treatments, like Narcan and naloxone, used to reverse opioid overdoses.

Over 14,000 bags of fentanyl found in Delaware woods CBS News

🔎What's New📦

'New' Trends, Products, & Resources

Recently, I read a news article about a grown man attempting to entice what he believed was a 15-year-old girl—and he was using an app called Kik, which I had never even heard of. It got me thinking… what else is out there? 🤔

Understanding the different messaging apps on a child’s phone matters. Many allow anonymous or private communication, which can increase risk when it comes to contact from unknown or unsafe individuals. Taking time to learn about these platforms—like this comparison by Versus between Kik and another popular chat app called Telegram—can help you stay informed.

To anyone concerned about our kiddos, including parents...Keep communication open, review apps together, and talk with youth about safe online behavior. Awareness goes a long way in protecting them. Stay safe out there! 📸Versus

🍺Alcohol Awareness Month📅

In a recent newsletter, the National Drug Early Warning System (NDEWS) highlighted the ongoing impact of alcohol on communities across the U.S., along with the growing presence of synthetics like medetomidine, kava, and kratom in the drug supply. It’s a don’t-miss edition in my opinion—take a look here!

Are you looking for more resource to support your prevention efforts? Check out the Wisconsin Alcohol Policy Project!

🗣️ Your Voice Matters💬

Each year, the President submits a proposed budget to the Appropriations Committee for consideration in the upcoming fiscal year.

Earlier this month, POTUS once again proposed cuts to critical public health funding—changes that could impact essential programs, services, and grants supporting mental health, addiction, and prevention efforts in communities across the country.

A similar proposal last year was not adopted, thanks in large part to advocacy from professionals and community members like you. You can learn more about this year's proposal through the American Public Health Association and from this CADCA blog.

If you’re able, consider making your voice heard. For those in Wisconsin (Sen. Tammy Baldwin) and West Virginia (Sen. Shelley Capito), both serve as chairs of the Senate Committee and may be particularly interested in hearing from constituents. And as always, be mindful of advocacy guidelines—engaging on your own time, using your own resources. Reach out if you have questions!

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