{"id":2578,"date":"2025-02-19T19:37:16","date_gmt":"2025-02-19T19:37:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.tcysapc.org\/?p=2578"},"modified":"2025-02-19T19:37:16","modified_gmt":"2025-02-19T19:37:16","slug":"tall-cop-shares-updates-on-youth-drug-use-and-hidden-dangers-and-accessibility","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tcysapc.org\/?p=2578","title":{"rendered":"“Tall Cop” shares updates on youth drug use and hidden dangers and accessibility"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"JermaineOfficer Jermaine Galloway, known as \u201cThe Tall Cop,\u201d says<\/a> that marijuana legalization across the country has contributed to increased accessibility, particularly for cannabis-based products like Delta-8 THC and high-potency vapes.\u00a0\u00a0\u201cLegal doesn\u2019t mean safe,\u201d he warned. \u201cWe\u2019re seeing dangerous substances being marketed as harmless, and kids are being drawn in because they assume it\u2019s no big deal.<\/p>\n

Galloway said one of the most alarming trends is the prevalence of vaping among teenagers.\u00a0\u00a0\u201cA lot of people think of vaping as just nicotine, but what\u2019s actually inside those devices is often something much stronger,\u201d he said. \u201cMany students are unknowingly consuming high-potency THC, synthetic cannabinoids, or even fentanyl-laced products.\u201d<\/p>\n

He added that many young people view vaping as harmless, despite the health risks and potential for addiction.\u00a0\u00a0\u201cTen years ago, you didn\u2019t see vapes in schools,\u201d Galloway said. \u201cNow, they\u2019ve become an epidemic. The number of kids using them is staggering.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Galloway emphasized that drug concealment has become more sophisticated, with items disguised as everyday objects. He displayed stash compartments embedded in clothing, power strips, and even seemingly innocent water bottles, all designed to hide illicit substances.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cMost parents and even some professionals have no idea how easy it is for kids to conceal drugs,\u201d Galloway said. \u201cThere are stash compartments in everything \u2014 water bottles, power strips, even hoodie strings. The market for these products is booming, and they\u2019re readily available online.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is no city that is exempt from these issues,\u201d he said. \u201cIf there was, we\u2019d all want to live there. Fentanyl is everywhere, Delta-8 is everywhere, kratom is everywhere. Whether it\u2019s Amarillo or Austin, these substances are present and being used.\u201d<\/p>\n

He also highlighted the increasing presence of psychedelics and designer drugs, including mushrooms and synthetic hallucinogens.\u00a0\u00a0\u201cFive years ago, you rarely saw psychedelics in schools,\u201d he said. \u201cNow, we\u2019re finding students experimenting with mushrooms, designer hallucinogens, and other substances that were once considered uncommon.\u201d<\/p>\n

Galloway urged parents, educators, and community leaders to have frequent, open conversations with young people about substance use and to stay informed about evolving drug trends.\u00a0\u00a0\u201cKids are having conversations about drugs every day, whether it\u2019s with their friends, on social media, or through advertisements,\u201d Galloway said. \u201cIf we\u2019re only talking to them about it once a year, we\u2019re way behind.\u201d<\/p>\n

He also stressed that early intervention is critical.\u00a0\u00a0\u201cThe biggest takeaway is to take the small stuff seriously,\u201d he said. \u201cIf we address the little things early on, we can prevent bigger problems down the road.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Officer Jermaine Galloway, known as \u201cThe Tall Cop,\u201d says that marijuana legalization across the country has contributed to increased accessibility, particularly for cannabis-based products like Delta-8 THC and high-potency vapes.\u00a0\u00a0\u201cLegal doesn\u2019t mean safe,\u201d he warned. \u201cWe\u2019re seeing dangerous substances being … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2578","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t