COALITION NEWS

The tobacco industry has already begun to capitalize on existing digital platforms to market its addictive products. Along the way, millions of young people are being exposed to tobacco industry advertising. While the industry continues to promote its newer products on established social media channels, it may also be eyeing expansion in newer digital platforms that many people, including policymakers and regulators, are still grappling to understand.

Read the full article at exposetobacco.org

Do you know what a Zynbabwe is? Or an upper-decky lip pillow? OK, here’s an easier one — how about just Zyn?

If you are scratching your head, don’t feel bad: Almost no adult I have spoken to has had any idea either. This is despite the fact that the nicotine pouch Zyn is a jewel in the crown of a multibillion-dollar tobacco company. Haven’t heard of nicotine pouches to begin with?

Click here to learn more from the New York Times opinion article.

School restrooms are becoming a modern day “smoking corner.” To deter the practice, many schools install vape detectors, a device that will sense the vapor, trigger an alarm and notify staff who attempt to catch the vaper and intervene.

A bill in this year's legislative session proposed establishing a grant program, paid by Washington State, for the installation of vape detectors in schools. Do they deter vaping? An article in the Spokesman-Review seeks to clear the air on the subject.

Read the Spokesman-Review article here.

The Food and Drug Administration is upping the urgency of its warnings for consumers to avoid purchasing or consuming tianeptine – commonly called “gas station heroin” – a synthetic drug typically sold in tablet or powder form and available for purchase online as well as in convenience stores, gas stations and smoke shops. It is the active ingredient in products such as Neptune’s Fix, Za Za Red and Tianaa.

Tianeptine, which is approved in some countries as a prescription drug for the treatment of depression, can mimic the actions of opioids like fentanyl. As a result, it carries similar risks of addiction, withdrawal and overdose potential. It can also lead to psychosis, seizures, kidney damage and death.

Read more about this dangerous drug in the full article at theconversation.com.

Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids updated their state-by-state look at commercial tobacco use data and prevention funding for 2024. It has been 25 years since the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement between states and big tobacco companies. This updated report looks at whether states are keeping their promise to use a significant portion of funds to attack the enormous public health problems caused by tobacco use in the United States.

Visit tobaccofreekids.org to learn:

• How much tobacco money Washington State collects,
• How much Washington State is spending to stop tobacco use, and
• What must be done to make the next generation tobacco-free.

The American Lung Association updated its State of Tobacco Control report for 2024. Washington State received an overall grade of "F". The overall grade comes from averaging grades in five areas. Washington moderately passed in the categories of smokefree air, tobacco taxes, and access to cessation services. However, fail grades in the categories of flavored tobacco products and tobacco prevention/cessation funding keep the overall grade anchored to the bottom since the report was developed in 2017.

According to the report, Washington received $480 million in tobacco-related revenues, however only spent $4.6 million on tobacco control programs. When combined with federal funding it amounts to only 10.2% of the level recommended by the CDC.

Visit the American Lung Association State of Tobacco Control website to read more.

Public health and law enforcement authorities advise increased vigilance related to the rising threat of injectable liquid fentanyl, according to a recent Public Health Alert issued by the Center for Forensic Science Research and Education at the Fredric Rieders Family Foundation in conjunction with the Colombo Plan.

Read full article at addictionpolicy.org.

SAMHSA's Center for Substance Use Prevention (CSAP) is seeking the best ideas from U.S. youth, aged 14-18, on a community strategy to increase youth awareness, education, and prevention around the dangers of fentanyl, especially the hidden dangers of fake pills and other contaminants that can lead to drug overdose deaths.

• Challenge Launch: December 1, 2023
• Submission Deadline: February 26, 2024, 6 p.m. ET
• Judging: February/March 2024
• Winner Announced: April 2024

The top 6 ideas will be awarded a $5,000 prize each, and up to 25 youth will receive a $2,000 honorable mention prize. To learn more or participate visit the FentAlert: Empowering Youth for Safer Choices youth challenge website.

Take Down Tobacco is Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids signature platform for empowering young people to fight Big Tobacco. Youth can work alongside elected leaders, parents, teachers, healthcare providers and advocates toward a tobacco-free generation. Whether hanging posters around school or holding a rally at the capitol, youth unite on April 1st each year to expose Big Tobacco.

The Campaign promotes three primary ways to get involved:

• Host an event to raise awareness in your school or community.
• Share facts with paper-based media, on social media, or using other digital platforms.
• Write your legislator.

Learn more about the campaign and find resources to assist with participation on the National Day of Action website.

Sixth grade students living in Cowlitz County are invited to attend a youth leadership & prevention summit. This year's conference will be keynoted by inspirational speaker Tyler Monk. Attendees can have fun with fellow students, participate in breakout sessions, group activities, and delve into the conference theme, "What's Your Why?". Free lunch provided!

When: Friday, March 22, 2024 (8:45am - 1:40pm)

Where: First Baptist Church (747 Wheeler St., Longview, WA 98632)

Who: For sixth grade students in Cowlitz County

Cost: Free!

How to Register: Mention this event to a school representative, or send an email of interest to event organizer Huyen Truong, huyen.truong@esd112.org.

The Clark County Youth Commission is seeking nominations to recognize 300 local youth that demonstrate personal growth and community contribution in one of thirteen categories of achievement. Youth will be recognized in categories such as arts, career development, citizenship, courage, diversifier, education, empathy, environmental stewardship, family life, inspiration, leadership, personal achievement, and sportsmanship.

There is still time to submit nominations, but hurry, forms are due by 5 pm, Friday, Feb. 9, 2024. Nomination forms are available online at https://www.clark.wa.gov/community-services/youth-achievement. Honorees will be sent a certificate, commemorative pin, and video message from the Clark County Youth Commission by late May.

For more information about the Clark County Youth Achievement Awards or the Clark County Youth Commission, please contact Elizabeth Houston-Hill, program coordinator, at elizabeth.hill@clark.wa.gov.

This award continues the tradition of recognizing local leadership potential, commitment to public service, and strength of character. 2024 marks the 35th year that this award has been presented to rising leaders in Clark County.

The are two award categories available:

• The Marshall Public Leadership Award is granted to adult leaders up to age 35.
• The Marshall Youth Leadership Award is granted to student leaders who are seniors in high school.

Candidates must be nominated to be considered. Nomination forms are available for both categories at thehistorictrust.org/marshall-awards. There is still time to make a nomination, but hurry, nominations close on February 9, 2024. After nominations close, nominees will be invited to complete an application process.

Award recipients will receive a scholarship up to $3500. Runner ups receive $1000. Award winners and nominees are honored at the Marshall Awards Ceremony to be held this year in late April at the Fort Vancouver Artillery Barracks. If you have any questions, please visit the awards program website (thehistorictrust.org/marshall-awards) or email marcom@thehistorictrust.org.

Sparkle Saturday is a free event for kids and teens who have been impacted by cancer – either from a personal diagnosis or that of a loved one. Attendees of Sparkle Saturday can participate in therapeutic arts activities and make friends with youth and counselors who are just like them! This event offered by Cancer Pathways is a half-day version of Camp Sparkle, which is a week-long summer camp offered at several locations in Washington.

Event Flyer: Click here to view printable event flyer.

When: March 16, 2024 (1pm - 2:30pm)

Where: Firstenberg Community Center Resource Room (700 NE 136 Ave, Vancouver, WA 98684)

Eligibility: Any child or teen in southwest Washington impacted by cancer, either a personal diagnosis or that of a loved one.

Cost: Free!

How to register: Visit cancerpathways.org/Vancouver to complete the online registration form, or email Michelle Massey, MSW, LICSW, OSW-C at michelle@cancerpathways.org.

Rede Group, on behalf of the Washington State Department of Health (DOH), is leading a Tobacco-Free Behavioral Health Initiative. They are conducting an assessment of behavioral health (BH) providers and facilities regarding policies and practices of commercial nicotine dependence treatment and recovery in the behavioral health system. They seek to understand and address the high levels of commercial tobacco/nicotine use in the BH population. Adults with BH conditions who smoke die about 5 to 15 years earlier than those without these conditions who don’t smoke. (CDC. 2021. Tobacco Use Among Adults with Mental Illness and Substance Use Disorders).

Rede Group would be grateful for help informing behavioral health providers about this initiative. Please forward the survey flyer to BH providers in your area. You can also help by promoting it within your networks, newsletters, listserv, or on social media. If you would like a Rede Group representative to attend your coalition or association meeting to present about this initiative, please reach out to Audra Baca at the Rede Group at audra.baca@redegroup.co.

For those in a position to take the survey on behalf of a BH facility, please scan the QR code with this article or visit: http://tiny.cc/2yhcvz. If you have any questions or difficulties accessing the survey, please reach out to Audra Baca at the Rede Group at audra.baca@redegroup.co.

The PTTC's Marketing and Communications Workgroup created a website full of prevention marketing materials which help communicate "What is Prevention?" and connect you with others who are doing similar work. Materials on the website include one-pagers, videos, recorded webinars, social media graphics, how-to and best practice guides, and PowerPoint slides.

Check out these resources at pttcnetwork.org.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) developed a collection of infographics to communicate results from the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH).

Infographics cover topics such as tobacco use, alcohol use, illicit drug use including opioids, mental health issues, and suicidality among the noninstitutionalized population aged 12 or older in the United States. They provide researchers, clinicians, policymakers, and the public with data that can be used to better understand and improve the nation’s behavioral health.

Download the 2022 NSDUH Companion Infographic here.

Looking for ways to promote kindness and charity in your community? The Random Acts of Kindness (RAK) Foundation provides a website with resources to help. Resources include social media assets, activities, curriculum and classroom ideas, ideas for holding a RAK week or event, ideas for kindness at home or at work, the "Kindness Framework", quotes, and much more.

The resources are free to use and can be valuable to youth or youth groups (and adults) looking to boost resilience and protective factors. Visit randomactsofkindness.org.

When it comes to providing mental health support, many people do not know what to look for or what to say. SAMHSA provides a website with a comprehensive list of tips that you can use and share with others.

Recommendations are categorized to assist specific groups of people: parents and caregivers, educators, young people looking for help, friends and family, community and faith leaders, and people who currently believe they have a mental health issue. The information can be useful in preparing all people, especially those who work with youth, with the skills that may potentially save a life.

Visit the SAMHSA website to read more.

Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (LCB) Communication Team wrote an article that describes labeling laws for cannabis products in Washington State. Labeling cannabis products properly is the only way to ensure customers are informed about what they are buying and inform non-users what the package contains. It also seeks to prevent unintended use.

Read the WSLCB article here.

This new poster from Washington Department of Health encourages youth to try healthy techniques to reduce their stress instead of turning to substance use. It provides alternative activities to try and has a scratch and reveal box underneath each technique which will reveal a fun icon.

These posters can be ordered from the ADAI Clearinghouse.

Click here to visit the ADAI Clearinghouse website (ADAIClearinghouse.net).

Please note that ADAI can only ship print materials to Washington State addresses.

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) has launched a new website, Facts About Teen Drinking, designed for teens. The website includes facts about how alcohol use impacts health in both the short and long-term, how to identify signs of alcohol use concerns or a disorder, and how to find help and support.

This website can also be helpful to educators, health professionals, and parents/caregivers as a way to share important information about alcohol with their students, patients, or young family members.

Learn more here

The California Department of Public Health worked with Rescue Agency to develop a youth cannabis prevention campaign called, "Mind Over Marijuana". The ad "Comes Back" focuses on the everyday struggles teens face, including stress from school, life, the pressure to succeed, and overcoming multiple obstacles. It explains that while they might feel like weed can alleviate this stress, it actually can have the reverse effect in the long run.

Check out the other video from the Mind Over Marijuana campaign, "Memory Not Found" on youtube.com.

2024 Draft Session Cutoff Calendar

Training resources

Learn about the legislative process from Prevention Voices WA and Foundation for Healthy Generations

Bill Information

Search by bill number, or list bills by many other methods from links. The bottom of each bill page has links to TVW video of hearings and floor action. See the Bill Report for a useful high-level summary of the bill policy, background, and hearing testimony.

Budget Information

LEAP budget website provides detail on budget proposals and links to Citizen’s Guides to WA State budgets.

Current Laws (RCWs) and Rules (WACs)

Find RCWs or WAC by number or by title.

Legislative Information Center

Useful resource on the legislative website. Click on the Classes & Tutorials link to find great handouts and videos and live class info.

Find your District & Legislators

2022 Election Results

2023 Election Results

Washington Lobbying Rules

Committee Information

Sign Up for Email Updates on Committee Hearing Schedules

Testifying in Committee or Submitting Comments

How to Read a Bill Video

Understanding the WA Legislative Process Video

How to Use the Legislative Website Video

How to Use the Legislative Website Advanced Tips Video

Watch Live Coverage - TVW

See unedited coverage of committee hearings, testimony, floor debate, press conferences, and much more. Search the archive for recorded events or tune in live!

Do you know youth who are interested in making change? The Foundation for Healthy Generations (Healthy Gen) created a Youth Engagement Guide to provide youth with an easy-to-use resource for becoming successful youth advocates. This guide is a powerful tool that empowers youth with communication strategies they can use to bring attention to issues important to them when talking to legislators and lawmakers. It contains suggestions from youth around the state-including updated information about voter registration.

Click here to view the Youth Engagement Guide.

The Health Assessment and Evaluation (HAE) team at Clark County Public Health (CCPH) works to develop a comprehensive understanding of health in our community and to translate data into action.

Our Services:

• Design of, or feedback on, data collection tools (i.e. surveys and focus groups). We can provide guidance on the questions you ask, how you ask, and audience considerations.
• Identify, access, and understand data sources. We can help you better understand populations by finding data you can use when developing presentations, grant proposals, or program plans.
• Data analysis & reporting. We can make sense of the data - numbers or concepts - so you can do the community work you do best.
• Evaluation of your programs/initiatives to determine effectiveness and quality improvement. We can help you demonstrate the effectiveness, or explore intend impacts of, your program, initiative, or policy.
• Present a professional and well-structured document. We can assist you in ensuring your data makes sense to, and resonates with, your audience.
• Technical assistance. We can identify the best methods, approaches for your project, and answer other questions about research, assessment, planning, or evaluation.

Learn more at clark.wa.gov/public-health/health-assessment-and-evaluation

Email us at cntyhealthHAE@clark.wa.gov

*Storing medicine in a locked location is the single most effective deterrent to accidental poisonings, overdose, medicine theft, and misuse that can lead to prescription drug addiction. Stay informed and talk with loved ones about the risks for ingesting or taking medicine not prescribed for them and benefits of safeguarding your medications. Learn more at www.LocksSaveLives.org.

The 2024 Rural Conference will take place on September 25 & 26, 2024 at the Yakima Convention Center, Yakima, WA. This will be the second Rural Conference and excitement is growing! Registration and agenda are still under development, however, the 2022 conference web page is still live and offers information to help anyone interested in learning more. Visit www.preventcoalition.org/ruralconference.

If you have questions, please feel free to contact us at preventcoalition@esd112.org.

Whether you have recently joined the Rural Network or are still thinking about it there is a resource available that will answer your commonly asked questions - our New Member Orientation Guide!

This guide describes our mission, vision, funding, 7 core principles, who we serve, and how to get involved. It also describes what our meetings are like and why you should join!

Learn all the details at smore.com/8eqhp

If you are interested in joining one or more activities below, please contact Abigail Wells, Rural Network Coordinator (abigail.wells@esd112.org) or preventcoalition@esd112.org. More information about these activities and the work of the Rural Network is available on the Rural Network website.

www.preventcoalition.org/rural

The full membership meets monthly on the last Tuesday from 2-3:30pm. This meeting is meant to engage network members, build connections across isolated communities, provide training to members and bring in guest speakers, we do policy work and have guest legislators come to meet rural volunteers, and we also do community-of-practice style activities where members share their experiences with one another or tackle tough issues collaboratively. These meetings are usually held virtually and open to the public, anyone is welcome to join.

This group meets monthly to prepare, design and plan for a statewide gathering of rural prevention professionals which happens every 2 years in Yakima, called the Rural Conference. We had our first ever conference last year convening our network members and the goal is to expand on that experience and make it even bigger and better than it already was. This committee gets to design theme, branding elements, activities that happen at the conference, agenda, speakers and more. This workgroup is hosted by the Rede Group, an event-planning subcontractor of Rural Network. The committee meets on a rotating schedule based on volunteer availability each month.

Abigail Wells will be running our second book club around cultural competency and equity, requested by network members to have once again for those who were unable to participate last time. The book we read last and will be reading again is called “I Never Thought Of It That Way: How to Have Fearlessly Curious Conversations in Dangerously Divided Times,” by Washington author Mónica Guzmán. We will be starting this second round of the book club in March. If you are interested in participating, please reach out to Abigail Wells at abigail.wells@esd112.org.

This is our newest Committee. It is tasked with reflecting and brainstorming around network member engagement. They will tackle questions such as, “Do our network members feel regularly and routinely engaged?”, “Are people feeling satisfied with our work?”, “Do people know how to get involved?”, “How can we get more members?”, “Do we have the right people at the table?”, “What barriers to engagement can we remove?”, etc. They will examine ways to improve and increase our engagement across rural communities. This committee is led by Steering Committee member Tammy Maine and will begin in March to April. The committee has not created a set schedule yet.

Our leadership team guides the work of the Rural Network, reflects on action plan progress, plans monthly meeting agenda, and evaluates the progress and outcomes of the program. We’re looking for more members to guide the work and get involved to increase our Steering capacity and keep the work sustained/strong. We meet monthly on the 1st Wednesday from 3-4:30 p.m. and are hoping to add 3-4 more members.

We have a Toolkit Workgroup meeting that is currently on pause due to funding delays and contract negotiations. This committee will eventually be run by the Montana Institute and is in charge of creating a Positive Community Norms (PCN) Campaign for rural communities statewide. Last year, this committee updated the Find Your Good campaign and created new messaging/media based on a rural youth survey they created and promoted.

Our staff holds a placeholder for an hour every month for people to come and brainstorm, bounce ideas off one another, or otherwise receive support or Technical Assistance from any/all our staff team. Sometimes you need a like-minded Coordinator to generate ideas, double check their action plan, troubleshoot a difficult sector representative, etc. We’re here to support you at these monthly time slots. Email Abigail Wells (abigail.wells@esd112.org) or preventcoalition@esd112.org to reserve this time with us.

Coalition Coordinators Meeting

TBD-No Meetings Scheduled

Virtual conference call by invitation.

For southwest region coalition coordinators.

Regional Network Meeting

TBD-No Meetings Scheduled

Virtual conference call by invitation.

For southwest region coalition coordinators.

Rural Network Meeting

Tuesday, February 27, 2024

2-3:30 p.m.

Online conference call

For Rural Network members by invitation

Rural Network Office Hours

Wednesday, March 6, 2024

1-2 p.m.

Online conference call

For Rural Network members to receive technical assistance

Rural Steering Committee

Wednesday, March 6, 2024

3-4:30 p.m.

Online conference call

Develop the plan, guide the implementation, evaluate the results.

All times are Pacific Standard Time (PST)

Relevant events not sponsored by Prevent Coalition:

ADAI

Youth Substance Use Prevention Education and Harm Reduction

(Webinar)

Feb 13, 2024 (3-4pm PT)

Cost: Free

How to Register: Click here to open the online registration form.

Join the Addictions, Drug & Alcohol Institute (ADAI) on Tuesday, February 13, 3-4 p.m., for a webinar on youth substance use prevention education and harm reduction. Youth overdose deaths continue to rise due to fentanyl, despite a decline in youth substance use overall. This webinar will discuss Safety First, a comprehensive school-based curriculum created to educate youth about substance use that includes prevention and harm reduction messaging.

National Council for Mental Wellbeing

NatCon24

In-person, St Louis, Missouri

April 15-17, 2024

Cost: Full conference pass for members $875, non-members $1140

How to Register: Visit the conference website for all pricing options, registration, and more.

Renowned for its sought-after speakers and best-in-class curriculum, NatCon24 offers three days of learning, networking and access to experts. Engage with thousands of colleagues from across the country, participate in dozens of diverse, immersive and peer-led workshops, access hundreds of hours of premium content on trending topics, discover new technologies and tools to increase your impact, and contribute to conversations about the future of our field.

Stanford Medicine

5th Annual Teaching Cannabis Awareness & Prevention Virtual Conference

(Virtual)

April 17-18, 2024, 8am-2pm daily

Cost: $125 (adult early bird)

How to Register: Visit the conference registration webpage for more information.

The conference will focus on the intersection of cannabis, tobacco/nicotine, and vaping, both singular and co-use of these products by youth. Learn the latest research, reasons for use, health effects, and the latest available lessons for teaching cannabis, tobacco, and co-use education and prevention to elementary, middle- and high school-aged youth. This conference is for educators, TUPE Coordinators, community-based organizations, school administrators, healthcare providers, school resource officers, counselors, parents, and anyone else working with youth. Over 1400 attendees last year!

The Montana Institute

Expanding the Circle: Creating Space for Hope, Health, and Connection

In-Person, Yellowstone Conference Center at the Big Sky Resort, Big Sky, Montana

Also available via livestream

July 16-19, 2024

Cost: In-Person: $995. Virtual only, $525

How to Register: Visit the Montana Institute website for more information

Reshape the way you approach community health and well-being at the 2024 Montana Summer Institute. Join us onsite or online and learn how to foster hope, cultivate health, and strengthen connections to build healthier, safer, and more positive communities for all.

RedeGroup

ToPCon 2024 - A Commercial Tobacco Prevention Conference

(Virtual)

May 20-22, 2024

More details for this event are forthcoming. Visit website: tobaccopreventioncon.com

This national conference, taking place for the third time, features emerging topics in commercial tobacco prevention and a new first day with sessions focusing on the fundamentals of tobacco prevention. With dynamic content for professionals at any stage in their career, ToPCon will be a site for dialogue around prevention best practices, strategies for policy change, engaging community, health equity, and much more!

CADCA

2024 Mid-Year Training Institute

In-person, Chicago, Illinois

July 14-18, 2024

More details for this event are forthcoming...

Pacific Southwest PTTC

Media in Prevention

(3-Part Webinar Series)

On-demand, click link below to view

No Fee

Webinar 1: Social Media Best Practices
Webinar 2: Media Literacy as a Practical and Transferrable Skill
Webinar 3: Using Media in Substance Misuse Prevention

This three-part webinar series aims to do this by helping participants better understand core concepts such as media literacy, social media strategies, and the role of advertising in substance use, and develop skills to think critically about social media, its’ messages, and its role in prevention.

NW PTTC

Ethics in Prevention Foundations

(Virtually moderated 6-hour course)

Repeats monthly, visit website for next session!

No Fee, Limited Space Available

This two-week, asynchronous moderated course, adapted from the original SAMHSA Center for Application of Prevention Technologies (CAPT) course, explores the six principles of the Prevention Code of Ethics. The course also introduces a decision-making process to help practitioners apply this code to a variety of ethical dilemmas, and an online discussion area to facilitate discussion with other course participants. Course meets requirements for prevention specialist credentialing.

View ongoing training and events at https://pttcnetwork.org.

NW PTTC

Special Topics in Prevention of Substance Misuse

(Self-paced courses)

A large selection of online, on-demand courses that explore special topics in prevention of substance misuse that will better-equip prevention professionals & coalitions to serve their communities.

Access the courses via the HealtheKnowledge.org website.

NW PTTC

Pharmacology for Prevention Professionals

(Self-paced course)

Explore the basics of how substances impact major brain regions and the acute and chronic symptoms associated with different substances. Certificates of 1.5 hours for each of the following four courses: Basics of Pharmacology and Alcohol, Basics of Pharmacology and Opioids, Basics of Pharmacology and Psychostimulants (Cocaine & Methamphetamine), and Basics of Pharmacology and Cannabis.

Learn more and enroll via the HealtheKnowledge.org website.

Supported by fiscal agent ESD 112, Prevent Coalition is a regional coalition formed in 2003 to increase collaboration, awareness, and reduce youth substance use in Southwest Washington. Prevent Coalition also implements initiatives for rural communities across Washington state. As a community mobilizer, our coalition creates a culture promoting healthy choices; advocates for policies and regulations that protect, empower and nurture youth; and facilitates positive opportunities for youth to be involved and thrive.

Email: preventcoalition@esd112.org
Website: www.PreventCoalition.org
Location: 2500 NE 65th Ave., Vancouver, WA, USA
Phone: 360-952-3457
Facebook: Facebook.com/PreventCoalition
Twitter: @supportyouthnow