The goal of this newsletter is to keep reporting the latest trends and research on preventing adolescent alcohol and other drug use and related issues.

Parents and school administrators report that vaping swept through their school suddenly and this is confirmed by the latest Monitoring The Future (MTF) study. Since the vapor was undetectable, school personnel did not know students were vaping on school grounds and it took some time for schools to put protocols and procedures in place to deal with this health issue.

Many teens and parents were unaware that the products being vaped contained nicotine. Some are experiencing uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms when they try to stop using or don’t have access to their vape device. Similarly some teens were unaware that they were vaping products containing THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, and have experienced hallucinations and/or become addicted to the THC.

Finally, it is now clear that the act of vaping is harmful to the lungs even when the product doesn’t contain nicotine or THC. By staying current on teen drug trends and alerting parents and professionals to the dangers, it is hoped that other harmful substances will not become popular and catch everyone by surprise.

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Editor: Patricia Murphy Warble, LMSW, CPP

iASK is at work, supporting our teens through the iCommunity Speaker Series!  Students will be hearing from each of these amazing speakers over the next few months!  Plus, for parents – save the date for Dr. Dewey, March 26th, 7pm!

If you plan to drive: Don’t drink

Be a designated sober driver, help save lives. Remember these tips on game night:

• Take your role as designated driver seriously. While at the party, enjoy food and non-alcoholic drinks. Refrain from any alcoholic beverages or drugs. People are relying on you.
• Brag about your MVP status on social media using the hashtag #designateddriver. Your positive influence could help keep other sober drivers on the right track.
• Always buckle your seat belt and require your passengers to do the same. Don’t start the car until all passengers’ seat belts are buckled.
• Remember: Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk. If someone you know has been drinking and tries to drive, take their keys and help them get home safely. Even if they make a fuss in the moment, they’ll thank you later.

If you plan to drink: Don’t drive

Before you ever leave the house, make a plan for having a fun, safe night out. Follow these safety tips, and you’ll be on your way to your own Super Bowl win.

• You know the rules—it’s illegal to drive drunk. Before you head out for the Super Bowl party, make a game plan that includes a sober driver—someone who will not drink at all, and will safely bring you home.
• Remember that alcohol isn’t the only substance that can keep you from driving safely: Marijuana, like many other drugs, affects a driver’s ability to react to their surroundings. Driving is a complex task, and marijuana slows reaction times, affecting the driver’s ability to drive safely.
• Download and use NHTSA’s SaferRide mobile app. The app helps people connect with a safe ride home by calling a taxi or a friend, and by identifying the app user’s location so they can be picked up. The app is available for Android devices on Google Play, and Apple devices on the iTunes store.
• Make sure your designated driver is actually sober. If he or she decided to drink unexpectedly, don’t worry about insulting them. Call a cab or call someone else who you know hasn’t been drinking.  
• Don’t let friends (and fans) drive drunk. Help arrange a safe way for them to get home, too.
• When you ride home with your sober driver, make sure you—and your driver—wear your seat belts. It’s your best defense in a crash.
• Remember, walking impaired can also be dangerous. Designate a sober friend to walk home with you.
• If you find yourself unable to get home safely, ask the host if you can stay for the night.
  

If you’re hosting the Super Bowl party:

Want to win the night? Designate a responsible sober driver to help your guests get home safely.

• Ask your guests to designate their sober drivers in advance, or help them coordinate with other partygoers’ designated drivers.
• If you don’t drink, offer to drive guests home.
• Encourage your drinking guests to pace themselves, eat food, and drink plenty of water.
• Serve a selection of non-alcoholic drinks.
• Do not serve alcohol to minors. If an underage person drinks and drives, the person who served the alcohol can be held liable for any damage, injury, or death caused by the underage driver. In fact, you could face jail time if you host a party where alcohol is served to people under the age of 21.

Know the risks:

Impaired driving is a serious problem with serious consequences. Don’t ruin your night by becoming another statistic.

• In 2017, there were 10,874 people killed in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes, accounting for 29 percent of all crash fatalities.
• The consequences of drunk driving are not only often fatal—they’re expensive. Drunk drivers face jail time, the loss of their driver licenses, higher insurance rates, and many other unanticipated expenses, including attorney’s fees, court costs, car towing and repairs, and lost wages due to time off from work. In fact, the average DUI court case costs approximately $10,000.
• Know your State’s laws: refusing to take a breath test in many jurisdictions could result in arrest, loss of your driver’s license, and impoundment of your vehicle. Not to mention the embarrassment in explaining your situation to family, friends, and employers.

For Super Bowl LIII, be a team player and remember: Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk. For more information, visit www.TrafficSafetyMarketing.gov.

Students at Irvington Middle School and Irvington High School celebrated Red Ribbon Week from Oct. 23-31 by participating in events designed to bring awareness to the dangers of drug use and to increase drug prevention efforts in their school and community.

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Family all together. Food on the table. Welcome to one of the most dangerous times of the year…

Irvington High School students recently welcomed renowned neuroscientist Dr. Stephen Dewey to their health classes to engage in an important discussion about the effects of addictive substances on the teen brain.

Throughout his presentation, Dr. Dewey discussed the specifics of addictions and how they develop, talked about how students’ actions have consequences and urged them to make healthy choices and develop good habits. At the end of his visit, the students shared their thoughts about the presentation, reflected on what they learned and addressed how they will incorporate those lessons into their daily lives.

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