Author Archives: TCYSAPC

About TCYSAPC

Travis County Youth Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition

Cannabis regulation, not bans, will help public safety, Rice University’s Baker Institute report says

Posted on January 25, 2025 by TCYSAPC

The rapid growth of cannabis products in Texas, combined with growing consumer safety concerns, has led some lawmakers to propose a ban on the hemp industry. However, experts from Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy say this approach is unlikely to effectively reduce access to products or improve public

… Continue to full story .......
Posted in News | Leave a comment

Alcohol-related deaths in U.S. jumped 29 percent in 5 years, here’s why, according to experts

Posted on January 15, 2025 by TCYSAPC

Favorite Brew Alcohol Content - Beers And ShenanigansIn the United States, deaths tied to excessive alcohol use rose 29 percent in just five years, according to federal data out this week, an increase that has alarmed experts.   study published this week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated an annual average of nearly 138,000 people

… Continue to full story .......
Posted in News | Leave a comment

What counts as ‘binge drinking’? What about ‘high-intensity drinking’?

Posted on January 8, 2025 by TCYSAPC

Episodes of “binge drinking” can have dangerous short-term effects, while repeated binge drinking can trigger longer-term problems. During the festive season and other times of celebration, alcohol often flows freely. But how much is too much? In short, what counts as “binge drinking,” and what are the potential health

… Continue to full story .......
Posted in News | Leave a comment

As Austinites celebrate Dry January, US surgeon warns alcohol comes with increased cancer risk

Posted on January 8, 2025 by TCYSAPC

Alcohol may soon come with a warning labelKUDOS TO U.S. SURGEON GENERAL VIVEK MURTHY FOR RELEASING THE ALCOHOL AND CANCER RISK REPORT after the U.S. Surgeon General announced Friday that alcohol is linked with an increased risk for cancer. The report recommended a call for those warning labels and reassessing the guideline limits for alcohol consumption to account for cancer risk. It stated

… Continue to full story .......
Posted in News | Leave a comment

Texas’ War on Drug Users: Texas Observer article recounts the April 2024 mass overdose event in Austin

Posted on January 8, 2025 by TCYSAPC

ATCEMS... - Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical ServicesOver the last weekend of April 2024, something in Austin’s drug supply went horribly wrong.  The first deaths passed largely unnoticed by anyone other than the families and friends of those who consumed the tainted substances. An 8-year-old girl who’d been playing outside her apartment in northeast Travis County … Continue to full story .......

Posted in News | Leave a comment

TX LEGE ’25: TX Senate to pursue ban on THC products next year, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick says

Posted on December 29, 2024 by TCYSAPC

Cannabis-derived products like delta-8 THC and delta-10 THC have flooded the US market – two immunologists explain the medicinal benefits and potential risksLieutenant Governor Dan Patrick announced this month that he will back a bill to ban all THC products from being sold in Texas.  In his announcement, Patrick uses words like “unsafe” and “unregulated” to describe THC products being sold.   Despite growing public support, Texas continues its challenges to the legalization

… Continue to full story .......
Posted in News | Leave a comment

What is the state of xylazine or ‘tranq’ in Texas?

Posted on December 29, 2024 by TCYSAPC

Atipamezole HCl 20 mg/mL - Non-Domestics & Exotics Reversals For Veterinarian Use - NexGenVetRx.comIn March 2023, the DEA, issued an alert about the widespread threat of fentanyl with xylazine, or tranq – a non-opiate sedative in the U.S. for veterinary use.  Months later, Travis County announced its first overdose deaths in which xylazine was detected. Since then, xylazine deaths have not significantly increased

… Continue to full story .......
Posted in News | Leave a comment

Most US teens are abstaining from drinking, smoking and marijuana, survey says

Posted on December 29, 2024 by TCYSAPC

AP — Teen drug use hasn’t rebounded from its drop during the early years of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the results from a large annual national survey.  About two-thirds of 12th graders this year said they hadn’t used alcohol, marijuana, cigarettes or e-cigarettes in the previous 30 days. That’s

… Continue to full story .......
Posted in News | Leave a comment

Flavored Vapes Behind Big Surge in U.S. E-Cigarette Sales

Posted on November 30, 2024 by TCYSAPC

Fruity flavors lure teens into vaping longer and taking more puffs, study says - Los Angeles TimesNov. 22, 2024  — E-cigarettes flew off store shelves between 2019 and 2023, and 80% were in youth-friendly flavors like fruit, candy, mint and menthol.  In all, e-cigarette sales rose 47% over the period, according to a new report from the CDC Foundation and Truth Initiative that called on more

… Continue to full story .......
Posted in News | Leave a comment

“Pink cocaine” is the latest street drug; 99.5% of the pink powder seized by the DEA is ketamine and other drugs, including fentanyl

Posted on November 30, 2024 by TCYSAPC
What is 'Pink Cocaine'? - The New York TimesThe death of music star Liam Payne. Sex trafficking allegations against Sean “Diddy” Combs. Many Americans have only recently learned of the drug known as “pink cocaine” from a deluge of celebrity horror stories. Pink cocaine is often confused for real cocaine.   Pink cocaine is a combination of … Continue to full story .......
Posted in News | Leave a comment

Nearly 160 Million Americans Harmed by Another’s Drinking, Drug Use

Posted on November 30, 2024 by TCYSAPC

Alcohol's Effect On Family | Addiction TreatmentNov. 21, 2024 — Think of it as collateral damage: Millions of Americans say they have been harmed by a loved one’s drug or alcohol use.  One in 3 adults who responded to a new nationwide survey said they had suffered “secondhand harm” from another person’s drinking. And more

… Continue to full story .......
Posted in News | Leave a comment

Surgeon General: U.S. Smoking Rates Have Tumbled, But Not for Everyone

Posted on November 30, 2024 by TCYSAPC

Nov. 20, 2024  — Nearly 1 in 5 deaths nationwide — almost 500,000 a year — are still due to cigarette smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke.  Although the United States has made significant headway in curbing cigarette smoking and secondhand smoke exposure, a new report finds deep divisions remain

… Continue to full story .......
Posted in News | Leave a comment