Washington Bill Aims to Raise Legal Cannabis Age to 25

Close-up photo of marijuana concentrate.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.

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New law keeps at-risk young Texans out of legal system; HB 3186 allows courts to refer at-risk youth to diversion programs

A new law in Texas aims to keep at-risk young people out of the juvenile justice system. House Bill 3186 will allow courts to refer at-risk youth to crime diversion programs before they have been convicted of certain crimes. Class C misdemeanors include things like underage drinking, possession of drug

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Delay Onset of Substance Use: New Data On Teenage Substance Use Is Here, And It’s Not What You Expect

Findings from the 2023 Monitoring the Future survey show that teen alcohol use continues to decrease. Yet, while the majority of teens who try alcohol don’t develop a problem, the majority of people with a drinking problem started using as teens. The best way to reduce a young person’s risk

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Now a Class B Misd. to sell e-cigarettes with images celebrities or cartoons on their packaging to minors

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 .......

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New House Bill will offer diversion for minors charged with Class C Misd.; like Minor in Possession of Alcohol

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 .......

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Leander teenager dead after suspected fentanyl overdose

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 .......

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Hemp Gummies Are Sending Hundreds of Kids to Hospitals

An explosion of products containing THCTop Hemp Gummies in California 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 .......

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UTHealth Houston has developed vaping prevention program called “CATCH My Breath”

CATCH My Breath, an evidence-based vaping prevention program created by Austin researchers from UTHealth Houston, is now being offered at New York City Public Schools, thanks to a partnership with CATCH Global Foundation in collaboration with the New York Health Foundation.

Developed by researchers at UTHealth Houston School of

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More Than 1 in 6 U.S. Adults, Teens Have Substance Use Disorder

Over 1 in 6 Americans, adults and teens alike, suffered a substance use disorder in 2022, new government data released Monday shows. In the survey, alcohol and drug abuse involved roughly the same numbers of people: About 30 million had an alcohol use disorder, while 27 million had

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Addiction treatment for kids and teenagers lags far behind demand; kids aren’t getting the treatment they need

Teen overdose deaths have doubled in three years. Blame fentanyl. | The HillAn alarming rise in overdose deaths among children and teenagers is colliding with an inadequate pediatric mental health system — including a lack of addiction treatment. Limited treatment options and coverage gaps mean that many kids aren’t getting needed care that could help prevent them from developing a deeper and

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Parents of teens more concerned about internet addiction than drug use, study finds: ‘Problematic patterns’

Worried mother - teenMore parents are concerned about internet addiction by their adolescent children than substance addiction, according to the results of a survey published in JAMA Network Open on Oct. 26.  Parents of children aged 9 to 15 years see internet use as a double-edged sword. While it fosters a sense of

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‘Jake didn’t want to die’: Mom of Texas football player Jake Ehlinger, who overdosed in 2021, warns about risks of fentanyl

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