VYWC Monthly Newsletter

 

01/2026 | Issue 9

 

Next Meeting 01/26!

Valley Youth Wellness Coalition's next meeting will be 01/26 from 9:00-10:30 to start building the vaping logic model based off of our top priorities, working on the 7 Strategies for Community Change, and an Action Team breakout time. We will be meeting at the Augusta Health Community Care building 64 Sports Medicine Dr. Fishersville, VA 22939. Park out front, go in through the automatic doors, and make a right to meeting room 3.

 
 
 

New Virginia E-Cigarette Law

Starting December 31, 2025, a new law is taking effect in Virginia banning sales of unapproved e-cigarette products, requiring state directory listing (FDA-authorized), prohibiting use in many public spaces, schools, and parks where smoking is banned. Key rules include age 21+ for purchase/possession, child-resistant liquid containers, and restrictions on sales/delivery, though active duty military can still buy at 18+ with ID.


This new law will force vape & tobacco shop owners to take down any products that are not part of a new state "directory." This applies to all liquid and vapor nicotine products. To stay in compliance suppliers have had to apply to the state's attorney general for certification, and if approved, their products would be placed on the directory.


Vape shop owners will have 60 days to go through their inventory and remove any products not found on the directory. Violators could be subject to a $1,000 fine for each unapproved product they have, for each day they have it. Currently, some popular brands approved for selling include Juul, NJOY, and Logic. You can read more on this new state-wide law by clicking the button below.

Combatting Seasonal Depression in Kids: Highlighting Seven Ways to Cultivate Happiness

Discover seven effective strategies to combat children's seasonal depression and boost happiness during winter months.

Substance Use Disorder Treatment Month

Substance Use Disorder Treatment Month, observed in January, aims to support:


  • Individuals who are considering or seeking assistance for their substance use issues
  • Healthcare professionals who are treating or thinking about treating substance use disorder 
  • Friends, family, and loved ones of individuals with substance use conditions
    

By increasing awareness of treatment options, including medications for substance use disorders, SAMHSA aims to:


  • Remove the stigma associated with treatment, including the medications used for substance use disorders
  • Motivate those on their path to treatment and recovery 
  • Advocate for best practices like screening, intervention, and treatment of substance use disorders among healthcare providers


Teens & Online Gambling: A Loneliness Connection?

With the age of online gambling, betting has never been easier and more discreet. The rise in teen gambling is largely fueled by the accessibility of mobile apps and the "gamification" of betting, but there is also a deeper, hidden factor that is being discovered: A desire for connection, confidence, and a dopamine rush. For many teens, gambling is becoming another high-risk addiction rapidly, with studies showing it leading to suicide even more than alcohol and drugs.


There are curriculums coming out in Virginia that provide opportunities for students to learn in school about the risks of problem gaming and gambling and how to be financially, physically and emotionally well. Click on the button to learn more!

Training Opportunity: 2026 SAM Good Drug Policy Summit

The 2026 SAM Good Drug Policy Summit will be taking place in partnership with the CADCA Leadership Forum at the Gaylord National Resort & Conference Center in National Harbor, MD. The Summit will consist of two days of drug policy presentations, bringing together powerful voices in drug policy from across the field, such as prevention, treatment, recovery, and law enforcement experts to amplify our collective work and scale up drug policy solutions by educating decision-makers and the public about ways to harness science to prevent drug use, treat addiction, and forge pathways to recovery.

Click the button below to learn more and register!

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New Job Opportunity!


The Central Shenandoah Valley Office on Youth in Waynesboro is hiring for a full-time Substance Abuse Prevention Education Coordinator! If you love working with people, care about your community, and being out in the field making a difference in health and wellness, click the link below to apply!

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