Kids Can Buy Drugs Easier Than You Think

Here's what you need to know about drugs on social media
Kids used to have limited options for where they could get drugs: friends at school, medicine cabinets or on the street. Now they don’t even have to leave the house. Buying drugs online has become increasingly popular and drug dealers are targeting kids on social media.

How Does it Work?
Snapchat and Instagram are the popular platforms for this, but it happens on other platforms too. Dealers post photos with captions that include hashtags, emojis and instructions for contacting the them. Communication and transactions usually occur off of the site using encrypted messaging apps like WhatsApp or Kik. The buyer can pay using a service like Venmo and the product is shipped to their door. Sometimes people do choose to meet in person and pay with cash.

Snapchat was recently in the news when Dr. Laura Berman’s 16-year-old son purchased what he believed to be Xanax, but instead received a counterfeit pill that was laced with fentanyl and died of an overdose. Sadly, there are many other stories like this.

It's important to let kids know about the dangers of buying any kind of drug online. Unless a prescription drug is prescribed by a doctor and dispensed by a pharmacy, it is NOT SAFE! See the image below. Would you be able to tell the difference between a real Xanax and a counterfeit one laced with fentanyl?

Events at a Glance
EVENT IS TONIGHT!
COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy:
Setting the Record Straight
February 24th at 6 PM

MADD Power of Parents
February 26th at 11 am


Narcan Training from The Hub Every Wednesday!


Support Groups

for a complete list of
support groups


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Resources for Keeping Kids Safe
Social Media & Internet Parent Guides from ConnectSafely

By parents, for parents: A growing collection of clearly written guidebooks that demystify apps, services and platforms popular with kids and teens. In PDF format. Feel free to download, print and share (if you share in bulk, please let us know). ...

Read more
www.connectsafely.org
Marijuana Legalization Hearing This Friday
There will be a public hearing for Senate Bill 888, An Act Responsibly and Equitably Regulating Adult-Use Cannabis Friday, February 26, at 10:00 A.M. via Zoom. The public hearing can be viewed via YouTube Live. In addition, the public hearing may be recorded and broadcast live on CT-N.com. 

Want to submit testimony? Deadline 3 PM, Thursday
Individuals who wish to testify via Zoom must register using the On-line Testimony Registration Form. Registration will close on Thursday, February 25, 2021 at 3:00 P.M. Speaker order of approved registrants will be listed in a randomized order and posted on the Judiciary Committee website on February 26, 2021 at 8:00 A.M. under Public Hearing Testimony. Here is a template to help you write your testimony.

If you do not have internet access, you may provide testimony via telephone. To register to testify by phone, call the Phone Registrant Line at (860) 240-5255 to leave your contact information.  

What to Submit
Please email written testimony in Word or PDF format to Judtestimony@cga.ct.gov. Testimony should clearly state testifier name and related bill. The Committee requests that testimony be limited to matters related to the items on the Agenda.

Here is a list of other upcoming bills that are related to behavioral health and substance use.

Shared by New Canaan Parent Support Group.
Download the fact sheet from New Canaan Parent Support Group.
Hospitalizations for Marijuana Intoxications in CT
  • From the chart above, from 2016 to 2019 for 18 year old and younger the hospital admission for marijuana intoxication increased 491% (N=48 to N=236). 
  • Likewise for 19 yrs and older we saw an increase of 391% during that same period (N=179 to N=701). 
  • The number of hospital admissions for marijuana intoxication do not approach zero until 50 to 55 years old!
  • In analyzing hospital admissions for mental illness with marijuana use only, we saw increases in psychosis (including schizophrenia), up 300% from 2016 to 2019 (N=88 to N=270); mood disorders (major depression) up 21 % (N= 256 to N=311).

Information from Department of Public Health
Current & Upcoming Health Observances
National Eating Disorders Awareness Week
Visit the National Eating Disorders Association website for facts, roundtable discussions, blogs and infographics that you can share on social media. #NEDAwareness
Problem Gambling Awareness Month Begins March 1st
During Problem Gambling Awareness Month, we will be sharing information, resources and events every week. Follow us on social media for updates. Visit the Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling website for upcoming events across the state. #PGAM2021
Social Work Month Begins March 1st
Social workers are essential to community well-being. There are more than 700,000 professional social workers
employed in the US, and more than 3 million worldwide. Throughout March we will explore the profession and their role during the pandemic.

Visit the CT Chapter of the National Association of Soclal Workers website for upcoming trainings and events.
In the News
... In addition to the stress they face as medical professionals, Black people are generally more likely to have feelings of sadness, hopelessness and worthlessness than White adults, according to Mental Health America.

Black nurses are also dying from the virus at a disproportionate rate. Almost 18% of the US nurses who have died from Covid-19 and related complications as of September were Black, but Blacks make up only 12% of the nurse population, according to National Nurses United.
Big Tobacco Has Targeted Black Americans Leading to Devastating Health Consequences
"For more than 50 years, the tobacco industry has targeted Black Americans with pervasive marketing of menthol cigarettes through sponsorship of community and music events, magazine advertising and retail promotions. Today, menthol cigarettes continue to be heavily advertised, widely available and priced cheaper in Black communities, making them especially appealing to price-sensitive youth."

The Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids
urges federal and local policymakers to stop the tobacco industry’s predatory practices, reduce tobacco-related health disparities and save lives. Learn more about this issue and what can be done.
The Hub: Behavioral Health Action Organization for Southwestern CT
A division of the Regional Youth Adult Social Action Partnership (RYASAP) 
Newsletter designed and created in collaboration with Daydream Communications, LLC