Travis County Youth Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition

Lessons from tobacco and alcohol can avoid repeating past mistakes that led to high rates of underage drinking and, more recently, a youth nicotine vaping crisis.  Research shows that there are a number of effective ways to protect youth from marijuana use and that states must adopt a legal … Continue to full story .......

Specifically, this bill would increase the minimum legal age of sale of cannabis products with a THC concentration greater than 35%—to 25 years—with an exception for qualifying patients and designated medical providers. According to the bill’s sponsors, high-THC cannabis products pose physical and mental harms that must be addressed.

The … Continue to full story .......

Restricting advertising e-cigarettes to minors: House Bill 4758 makes it a class B misdemeanor to sell e-cigarette products that use images of food, celebrities or cartoon characters on their packaging, in an effort to slow vaping use among minors. More than two million K-12 students use e-cigarette products nationwide, according … Continue to full story .......

Diverting minors charged with Class C misdemeanors: House Bill 3186 creates an alternative to fines for minors charged with class C misdemeanors, such as petty theft or possession of alcohol, instead allowing them to be enrolled in “diversion plans” designed to support them. The law outlines several options for programs, … Continue to full story .......

December 18, 2023 -LEANDER— A teenage student at the Leander Independent School District died following a suspected fentanyl poisoning, the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office said Monday.   “This devastating incident serves as a poignant reminder that the specter of drugs looms not only on the outskirts of our neighborhoods but permeates … Continue to full story .......

An explosion of products containing THC and similar chemicals—some of them in kid-enticing forms such as candy or gummy bears—is sending children to emergency rooms across the country and has federal and state regulators grappling with how to contain it. Many of these products face little to no restrictions, because … Continue to full story .......