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National Fentanyl Awareness Day May 11, 2022

The first National Fentanyl Awareness Day was May 10, 2022, and was recognized by organizations across the U.S. including the DEA. It was created to address our national public health crisis of deaths and overdoses due to fentanyl use. People, especially young people, are ingesting illegally manufactured fentanyl without knowing it and dying at alarming rates as a result.

The statistics...

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The Truth About Opioids: Information for Teens Apr 27, 2022

Two decades ago, a new generation of supposedly “safer and less addictive” painkillers triggered an epidemic of opioid abuse in the U.S. Since then, opioid overdoses have killed over 400,000 Americans. Now, more than half of opioid deaths are caused by synthetic opioids such as fentanyl. Beyond the death toll, at least 2 million Americans have become addicted.

U.S. deaths from...

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Impaired Driving: How Marijuana, Alcohol, and Prescription Drugs Can Affect You Apr 27, 2022

What is Impaired Driving?

Impaired driving is operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, legal or illegal drugs.

Alcohol-impaired driving

Alcohol has a significant effect on driving skills due to its depressant effects. While under the influence of alcohol, drivers can misjudge their capabilities and experience the following:

  • Decreased reaction time due to slower reflexes
  • ...
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Bullying and LGBTQ+ Youth Apr 27, 2022

The above quote is from a member of Balboa Middle School’s Gay Straight Alliance, discussing bullying and being singled out for his appearance.

It’s possible that bullying has existed as long as humans have lived in groups. Perhaps it is our domineering, competitive nature that drives some to want power over and adoration from others. It seems like we are forever in one of three...

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Brain Development, Teen Behavior, and Preventing Drug Use Apr 27, 2022

This article is from the website of Partnership for Drug-Free Kids, an invaluable resource for both teens and parents. View the original article here: https://drugfree.org/article/brain-development-teen-behavior/. 

There’s a reason that teenagers act the way they do. Understanding the brain science behind teenage behavior can help parents better prepare their kids to avoid drugs and...

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You Don’t Need Drugs to Deal with Life Apr 27, 2022

This post was written by a CSUCI Service-learning student. 

Hello Everyone! I am writing this blog to give people some healthy alternatives to dealing with life that do not involve drugs or alcohol. Growing up in a drug-addicted family where most of my relatives did drugs was very stressful because I got to see the negative effects and tolls that drug and alcohol consumption have on the...

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April is Alcohol Awareness Month Apr 25, 2022
April is Alcohol Awareness Month. It was developed to spread awareness and reduce the stigma associated with alcohol addiction, and to highlight the need for education on the dangers of unsafe alcohol consumption. Did you know that alcohol is the most used substance by youth and adults in the United States? According to the National Institute of Health’s 2020 Monitoring the Future Survey,...
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The Dangers of Impaired Driving Apr 01, 2022

In an average year, 30 million Americans drive drunk, and 10 million Americans drive impaired by illicit drugs. A 2010 survey by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) revealed that 13.2 percent of all people aged 16 or older drove under the influence of alcohol and 4.3 percent drove under the influence of illicit drugs during the past year. ...

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Reality Parties for Parents: A Parent’s Perspective Apr 01, 2022

By Sandy, a local parent and CSUCI student.

I admit it, I avoided this “Reality Party” idea when my three kids were in high school. My role this past week was to play the cool mom, letting the kids drink and have fun. This wasn’t a stretch for me. Even my kids made a joke about me playing this role. The horrible things that could have happened at my house while kids were...

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Self-Harm: Treatment, Coping, and Why People Self-Harm Apr 01, 2022

Self-Harm

People often keep their habit a secret, but the urge to self-harm isn’t uncommon, especially in adolescents and young adults. Many overcome it with treatment.

Whether a person has recently started hurting his or herself or has been doing it for a while, there is an opportunity to improve health and reduce behaviors. Talking to a doctor or a trusted friend or family member is the...

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Marijuana: Facts Parents Need to Know Apr 01, 2022

A Letter to Parents

Although NIDA’s annual Monitoring the Future survey shows that daily marijuana use in teens is mostly steady, the survey also shows that as cigarette smoking rates drop, daily marijuana smoking has become generally more common than daily cigarette smoking among teens. By the time they graduate high school, about 45 percent of teens have tried marijuana at least once in...

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The Fight Against Opioids and Prescription Drug Abuse – Resources in Ventura County Apr 01, 2022

1 in 5 Ventura County teens have abused prescription drugs. 

Over 50% get them from friends and family. 

9% of 9th graders and 14% of 11th graders in Ventura County say they’ve used prescription medications to get high.

The countywide report of the California Healthy Kids Survey (CHKS) indicates a hopeful decline in lifetime misuse of prescription drugs. However, prevention of...

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