Travis County Youth Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition

Feb. 21, 2021 – Bloomberg — A stronger version of a drug comes along and addicts a new generation of kids to an age-old vice.  Sound familiar? That narrative has ensnared the vape industry, resulting in regulatory challenges and ongoing lawsuits over high-nicotine products. And now cannabis faces a similar … Continue to full story .......

Suicide and opioid overdose contribute to substantial morbidity and mortality each year in the United States. In previous studies, researchers have reported that youth with a lifetime history of prescription opioid misuse (POM) are at increased risk for suicidal ideation, planning, and attempts.   During 2018, suicide was the second leading … Continue to full story .......

Feb 10, 2021 – Despite hard-fought progress in recent years, new data from the CDC shows that drug overdose deaths in the U.S. are now at their highest level ever, soaring to more than 81,000 in the 12-month period between June 2019 and June 2020. At the same time, … Continue to full story .......

Feb. 9, 2021 – Austin – State Representative John Raney (Bryan/College Station) filed House Bill 1694 that would protect from prosecution any Texan who calls 911 to aid an individual who appears to have overdosed as well as the person for whom aid is sought. The intent is to remove … Continue to full story .......

The pandemic is a stressful time for everyone, but especially for our kids.  Whether our kids are feeling anxious, bored or tempted by addictive substances, our response can be the same: Start talking openly about healthy ways to manage anxiety and depression, then track and secure medications.

Three things adults

Dec. 28, 2020 – A national study shows that female youth between the ages of 11 and 16 have a higher incidence of nonfatal opioid overdose compared to male youth of the same age. That reverses at age 17, however, as males between 17 and 24 have a higher incidence … Continue to full story .......

Drug overdoses, especially with stimulants, are on the rise among children, teens, and young adults.  From 2016 through 2019,  youth in emergency rooms with drug overdose increased 2% per quarter among children ages 10 and under, 2.3% for youth 11-14 years, and remained relatively stable among adolescents 15-24 years, reports … Continue to full story .......

LGBTQ individuals — those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer — often face challenges such as disproportionately high rates of substance abuse and mental health conditions.  The Trevor Project, the world’s largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ young people found that 40 percent … Continue to full story .......