Just Say KNOW:
Knowledge is a powerful weapon.
"Not my kid" is a dangerous frame of mind.
Obvious signs should not be ignored.
Whether you know it or not, YOU are your child's best hope.
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KNOW what is being said in Howard County: |
"I never know what people will say when I talk about natural highs. A student said to me once, "Weed's natural-it's like salad."
Think about it. That student's response may be the best reason why you should never smoke it."
Matt Bellace PhD, Motivational Speaker & Comedian
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"My thoughts keep going back to a meeting with a Howard County attorney that talked about the law and how parents are
responsible even if they are NOT at home and have no knowledge of their
kids' partying or drinking."
Donna Weaver, Realtor and Howard County Parent
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Howard County Teens are Saying:
"I was in 4th grade the first time I used marijuana. My parents never checked anything."
"Weed is addictive. You use it to focus, sleep, wake up, get energy, whatever. It controls and is not harmless."
"Marijuana is easier to get than alcohol."
"People say marijuana isn't a gateway drug, but it's how I started, so I think it is."
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KNOW what seniors get for FREE in OC.
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Upcoming Events |
March 2012
HC DrugFree/HoCo Film Festival
Winners announced
Friday, March 23, 2012
Johns Hopkins APL
more info
"Senior Week"
Tuesday, March 27, 2012, 7:00pm
Wilde Lake High School
James Rouse Theater
more info
"Senior Week"
Wednesday, March 28, 2012, 7:00pm
Mt. Hebron High School
Auditorium
more info
April 2012
Branded DUI
Thursday, April 12, 2012
7:00 PM
Glenelg High School
Media Center
more info
HC DrugFree Teen Advisory Council (TAC) Meeting
Monday, April 16, 2012
more info
National Take-Back Initiative
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Several Locations around Howard County
more info
May 2012
HC DrugFree Teen Advisory Council (TAC) Meeting
Monday, May 7, 2012
more info
June 2012
Howard County Men's Health Fair
Saturday, June 9, 2012,
10:00am - 2:00pm Howard High School |
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KNOW Where to Volunteer
The Howard County Cancer and Tobacco Coalition is looking for teens and adults to join their coalition.
Next Meeting: April 5, 2012 at 6:00 PM
Location: Howard County Health Department, 7180 Columbia Gateway Dr., Columbia 21046
For more information or to RSVP, please contact:
Lisette K. Osborne, Director of Nursing and Bureau of Family Health, Howard County Health Dept. at 410-313-6167 or Losborne@howardcountymd.gov |
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Become a
of HC DrugFree
for as little as $25 for an individual, $50 for a family or a non-profit, $100 for a business.
Become a
Sponsor
of HC DrugFree
for as little as $500. | |
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Know the Facts
Tobacco Update: Still a problem after all these years.
1. What is the difference between a cigarette and a cigar? The wrapping. To qualify as a cigar the wrapping has to have some tobacco in it! Cigar smoking has increased among Maryland youth so that it is equal to the percentage of underage youth who smoke cigarettes (about 14%). These are not your father's cigars. They include brands like Black and Mild, Swisher Sweets and other small cigars that look like cigarettes and they are flavored (peach, mango, strawberry). Guess which age groups are the targets of this marketing?
2. Regular cigarette smokers are much more likely to engage in other risky behavior. 80% of Maryland High School youth who smoke regularly drink alcohol with about 60% having smoked marijuana.
3. Hookah, electronic cigarettes, and other new smokeless products like Arriva are not safe alternatives to smoking cigarettes. Some have much higher levels of exposure to nicotine, the addictive agent in cigarettes, and all have chemicals that are harmful to human tissue in lungs and mouth.
4. The GOOD NEWS is that parents still matter. Lack of parental messaging and monitoring continues to be a very strong predictor of regular use. So don't ignore signs of smoking. Check on your children and their activities. Talk with them about the dangers of smoking. Don't nag. Just express concern and talk about the concern for their health. Well over half of all the "ever" smokers in the US have quit and almost all the rest are trying to quit. Why start?
Carlo DiClemente, Ph.D. is the Director of the MDQUIT Tobacco Resource Center in the Psychology Department at UMBC and is a father of two recent Mount Hebron graduates. | |
Know that We CAN Make a Difference |
This easy-to-read, 20-page booklet presents the major content of the report in plain language and is designed to help parents, teachers, policy makers, health care professionals, and other concerned adults understand the importance of the report and how they can take a stand to protect young people from the devastating effects of tobacco use. |
Know the Report |
Excerpts from the Surgeon General's report, "Preventing Tobacco Use Among Youth and Young Adults."
� Tobacco is the leading cause of preventable and premature death, killing more than 1,200 Americans every day.
� For every one tobacco-related death, two new young people under the age of 26 become regular smokers; nearly 90% of these new smokers try their first cigarette by age 18.
� Approximately three out of four high school smokers continue to smoke well into adulthood.
� The surgeon general's report provides further scientific evidence on the addictive nature of nicotine. The younger individuals are when they start using tobacco, the more likely they are to become addicted and the more heavily addicted they will become.
� The tobacco industry spends more than $1,000,000 an HOUR in the United States alone.
Copies of the full Report, executive summary, and the easy-to-read guide may be downloaded at http://www.surgeongeneral.gov
For access to quitting resources, visit: www.smokefree.gov or call: 1-800-QUIT-NOW
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Know What to Expect |
"Senior Week: Staying Safe in
Ocean City"
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Wilde Lake High School
James Rouse Theatre
and
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
7:00 - 9:00 pm
Mt. Hebron High School
Auditorium
Many Howard County high school seniors participate in the Maryland tradition of going to the shore for "Senior Week". Having so many unsupervised teens in one place can lead to dangerous situations, risky behavior, and trouble with the law.
Before deciding whether or not to permit your child to go to Ocean City for Senior Week, find out the facts. Listen to an Ocean City police officer offer advice and expertise to keep your child safe. Parents are encouraged to bring their high school senior to this informative program.
Guest Speaker:
Howard Caplan, Ocean City Police Officer.
Co-sponsored by the Wilde Lake HS PTSA, Mt. Hebron HS PTSA and HC DrugFree
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Smoking Ban in Vehicles with Children Passes Senate | March 15, 2012
By Justin Snow Justin@MarylandReporter.com
A controversial bill that would ban smoking in any vehicle with a passenger younger than 8 passed the state Senate 27-19 on Wednesday after debate that centered largely over the role of government.
Supporters argued that the bill was about protecting children from the toxins of secondhand smoke and cited a range of studies showing the negative effects tobacco products have on children. They said the age requirement was for enforcement reasons, noting that children younger than 8 are required to use a car seat, making it easier for police to spot.
"If we do nothing we are condoning threatening the life of young people who have no voice," said Sen. Paul Pinsky, D-Prince George's. Pinsky said the bill raised questions about what role government should play in light of science.
Although opponents did not disagree that scientific evidence affirms secondhand smoke is harmful, they warned of government intrusion into private life and the bill's broader repercussions.
"Cheeseburgers are next," cautioned Minority Leader E.J. Pipkin, arguing that government instructing citizens about unhealthy behavior was a slippery slope.
Sen. John Astle, D-Anne Arundel, who proposed a killer amendment last week that was later stripped from the bill in a rare parliamentary procedure, invoked George Orwell as he voiced his opposition to the bill. Opponents, however, said such warnings were overblown.
"This isn't about big brother," said Sen. Jamie Raskin, D-Montgomery. "It's about little brother in the back seat, in the car seat."
The ban must still be approved by the House of Delegates
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Contact us at info@hcdrugfree.org for a free copy of one of these brochures.
Si usted quiere una copia gratuita de uno de nuestros folletos solic�talo por correo electr�nico a info@hcdrugfree.org, o llama al
443-325-0040 (puede dejar mensage en espa�ol). |
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