yellow_spring_daffodil.jpg
April 2022
MONTHLY NEWSLETTER
April is Cannabis Awareness Month
Is Marijuana the Same as Cannabis?
People often use the words “cannabis” and “marijuana” interchangeably, but they don’t mean exactly the same thing. The word “cannabis” refers to all products derived from the plant Cannabis sativa. The cannabis plant contains about 540 chemical substances. The word “marijuana” refers to parts of or products from the plant Cannabis sativa that contain substantial amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

  • THC is the substance that’s primarily responsible for the effects of marijuana on a person’s mental state.
  • Some cannabis plants contain very little THC. Under U.S. law, these plants are considered “industrial hemp” rather than marijuana.
  • The main cannabinoids are THC and cannabidiol (CBD).

Check out this one-pager for the 1-2-3 differences between CBD, THC, and Hemp or this website for more in-depth information.  
Congratulations to CHCC's
2nd Annual Art Contest Winners
9-12 Division Winners
1st Place: John G.
2nd Place: Elektrah L.
3rd Place: Aliyah
Prescription Drug Take Back Day
In addition to the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on April 30th (see below) with multiple locations, there will be a special add-on event, in partnership with Youth Full Maine, on Wednesday, April 20th from 10am-12pm at Rotary Park in Biddeford. CHCC has coordinated this additional prescription (and sharps) drop-off with the PD for the convenience of families who may be accessing Youth Full Maine’s free food distribution. All are welcome from any community to drive through and pick up dry goods and produce, and sometimes meats and dairy, as well as drop off meds and sharps.
Educating Local Families
Biddeford Ready! invited CHCC to join other community partners for a school readiness fair at JFK School in Biddeford on Saturday, April 9th. SNAP Educator Lex Jensen offered customized trail mix for children to select their favorites to mix and snack on at the event. We also had information about childhood lead poisoning encouraging parents to sign up to receive free lead test kits from the Maine CDC and information about the City of Biddeford’s Lead Hazard Reduction & Healthy Homes Program that could be shared with landlords.
Local Students Showcase Designs
Promoting Healthy Behaviors
Biddeford Saco Rotary Club’s Red Ribbon Committee was formed in 2016 to focus efforts on preventing young people from slipping into the devastating grip of substance misuse and addiction. Collaborating with school educators in Biddeford, Dayton, Old Orchard Beach, and Saco, the Rotary’s Red Ribbon Committee held a T-shirt Design Contest promoting healthy behaviors in which the first-place winners in each division, K-5 and 6-12, would have their design printed on the shirts given to every K-12 student in the three communities.

The T-shirt Design Contest yielded over 100 designs submitted in both divisions combined with students voting for the top three winners. In addition to the first-place winners being on their division t-shirts, the top three winners in each division won a cash prize. The T-shirt distribution occurs the week of April 25th along with school-based, age-appropriate education surrounding substance misuse and the importance of healthy habits. Coastal Healthy Communities Coalition’s Project Alliance is proud to support educational content for the schools.
K-5 Division
First Place Winner
James Marines
CK Burns
K-5 Division
Second Place Winner
Kalleigh Jones
Biddeford Intermediate
6-12 Division Winners
Thornton Academy
1st - Rylie Prejean
2nd - Josephine Gellis
3rd - Austin Cote
Now Hiring: Project Coordinator
This full-time Project Coordinator will facilitate and implement community-based substance misuse prevention strategies on behalf of the Project Alliance Coalition, including training, coalition communication, data collection, and information dissemination. This position is also responsible for performing administrative functions for the Coalition including tracking expenses, organizing and scheduling events, and completing donor-required reporting. Must be able to work independently and monitor the progress of multiple work projects simultaneously. Possible option for a 10-month (Sept-June) flex schedule. 
Encouraging Everyone to Get Out There!
As we enter the spring season and parents begin planning summer arrangements for their children or creative adventures for themselves, Apex Youth Connection wants to encourage both youth and adults to “Get Out There!” Kicking off last month, the “Get Out There” Campaign raises awareness of the many benefits to mental and physical health surrounding active engagement and connection with the outdoors, community, people, service, and neighborhood events.

Join Apex Youth Connection at their Open House on May 5th between 3-6 pm to learn more and/or register youth for Summer Adventure Camps and adults for Outdoor School classes. A full list of adventures is available at www.apexyouthconnection.org