JANUARY COALITION NEWS

The U.S. Senate Drug Caucus, led by Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and John Cornyn (R-TX), has released a new report on cannabis, “Cannabis Policy: Public Health and Safety Issues and Recommendations.” The report makes five key recommendations:

1. Remove barriers to research

2. Study the impact of increasing THC levels

3. Study the impact of cannabis on the developing brain

4. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) should continue exercising its enforcement authority regarding unregulated cannabis products

5. More effectively detect cannabis-impaired driving

This report is a comprehensive, fact-based resource that coalitions can use to advocate on issues surrounding marijuana. The full report can be accessed here.

Details

When: Wednesday January 20 and 27, 2021 from 3-5 p.m. using an online training format.

Where: Two, two-hour training sessions to be held virtually using Zoom.

Register: http://bit.ly/37kfJ6S

Contact: Jesse Jimenez, jesse.jimenez@esd112.org.

About The Training

Designed for the Southwest Region. This two-part advocacy training will educate youth leaders and youth coalition members how to make a difference in their community by becoming an effective advocate for things they're passionate about. They will learn how to build relationships with elected officials and their staff, how to get involved in policy development, and all about the legislative process in Washington.

Who Is It For?

Youth interested in making a difference through advocacy and policy change. Perfect for prevention clubs, government classes, and leadership groups. No experience necessary.

By Youth For Youth

This workshop is facilitated by two youth leaders who have training and experience in public speaking, working with decision-makers and have been involved with advocacy of government leaders.

Click here to register.

CADCA’s National Leadership Forum is a four-day conference packed with multiple adult and youth-oriented opportunities to learn the latest strategies to fight substance misuse and hear from nationally-known experts and policymakers with a full day dedicated to Capitol Hill events. The Forum is held online this year, normally the first week of February and brings together more than 2,700 participants representing community anti-drug coalitions, government leaders, youth, addiction treatment professionals, researchers, educators, law enforcement professionals, youth and faith-based leaders.

Click here to register and learn more.

Workshop 1: Introduction to Positive Community Norms

This two-part, four-hour training will renew your spirit and bring fresh energy to your work. Join us to learn about this powerful framework for reducing harm, improving health and strengthening community cultures. We will unpack the power of the positive approach and provide you with effective communication skills that you can put to use immediately. Great for newcomers as well as those looking for an updated overview.

Workshop 2: Practicing the Science of the Positive in Challenging Times

How do we apply the Science of the Positive in times of uncertainty? What does positive messaging look like during a global pandemic? Can we apply Positive Community Norms to messaging about COVID19? How can we continue messaging about anything else?

This team-led series of five virtual workshops will address these questions and show how the Science of the Positive can be a touchstone and a guide for public health practitioners during difficult and confusing times. No previous experience is necessary, but we recommend that newcomers also register for the Introduction to Positive Community Norms.

Workshop 3: Crafting Your Transformational Leadership Narrative

Expand your leadership capacity in this interactive, introspective, and inspirational workshop. Before the sessions begin, you’ll take our innovative Science of the Positive Transformational Leadership Assessment and receive a personalized Leadership Profile based on your results. During the live workshop, you will use a creative mix of individual and group storytelling exercises to construct a personal leadership narrative that will increase your clarity, effectiveness, and confidence as a community leader and change-maker.

Click here to learn more and register.

The 2021-22 Washington State Legislative Session has begun. We encourage you to establish a connection with your elected officials, and share your voice for matters important to you.

Tools or Updates:

• Liquor & Cannabis Board Annual Report
  
• Accessing the Legislature Remotely
• How to Testify or Submit Comment Remotely
• How to Locate & Contact Your Legislators

Relevant Prevention Policies:

• Allowing Adult Residential Marijuana Agriculture (Home Grows)
• Taxation Changes to Medical Cannabis
• Establishing Health Equity Zones
• Clarifying WA Clean Air Act

The University of Washington and Washington State University released a research report regarding the health effects of High Potency Cannabis Products.

With a legal market of cannabis products has come the wide distribution of manufactured products containing much higher levels of THC than what has been historically found in the plant.

Science to date shows a dose-response relationship between THC concentration and health consequences. Manufactured cannabis products may add further risks due to additives, residues and contaminants.

Researchers and policy makers are working to better understand these risks. This page contains recent reports and summaries that describe what we know so far.

• Website link and full report information.
• Consensus statement and report (pdf).
• One-pager brief about the report’s findings (pdf).
• Presentation slides (pptx, 12MB) featuring key points from the report and suitable for a general audience.

Substance use prevention coalitions in Southwest Washington are supporting the non-profit Medication Education & Disposal Project (MED-Project) public awareness campaign to inform Washington State residents about free services to dispose of expired, unwanted, or unused medicine safely and conveniently.

MED-Project provides convenient free year-round medicine drop-off locations, such as pharmacies, medical facilities, and law enforcement offices. In addition to its existing operational programs in several counties, MED-Project has activated over 150 additional drop-off sites for Washington State residents.

Clark County Drop-Off Collection Sites:

• Hi-School Pharmacy 3200 NE 52nd St Vancouver WA (360) 787-4000 → M-SA 9AM-8PM, SU 9AM-6PM

• Kaiser Cascade Park Pharmacy 12607 SE Mill Plain Blvd Vancouver WA (360) 896-4466 → M-F 9AM-9PM, SA-SU 9AM-6PM

• Kaiser Orchards Pharmacy 7101 NE 137th Ave Vancouver WA 98682 (360) 944-2777 → M-F 7:15AM-6PM

• Kaiser Salmon Creek Pharmacy 14406 NE 20th Ave Vancouver WA 98686 (360) 571-3072 → M-F 6:30AM-6PM

• Rite Aid Pharmacy 13511 SE 3rd Way Vancouver WA (360) 885-0836 → M-F 9AM-9PM, SA 9AM-7PM, SU 10AM-6PM

• Rite Aid Pharmacy 2800 NE 162nd Ave Vancouver WA (360) 253-5613 → M-SA 9AM-6PM, SU 10AM-6PM

• QFC Pharmacy 3505 SE 192nd Ave Vancouver WA (360) 253-3043 → M-F 9AM-8PM, SA 9AM-6PM, SU 11AM-6PM

• Battle Ground Police Department 507 SW 1st St Battle Ground WA (360) 342-5200 → M-F 10AM-5PM

• Ridgefield Police Department 116 N Main Ave Ridgefield WA (360) 887-3556 → M-F 8:30AM-5PM

• Washougal Police Department 1320 A St Washougal WA (360) 835-8701 → M-F 9AM-5PM

Skamania County Drop-Off Collection Sites:

• Skamania County Sheriff 200 Vancouver Ave Stevenson WA (509) 427-9490 → M-F 8:30AM-4:30PM

• Wind River Pharmacy 280 SW 2nd St Stevenson, WA (509) 427-5480 → M-F 9AM-6PM, Sa 9AM-2PM

Klickitat County Drop-Off Collection Sites:

• Skyline Hospital 211 Skyline Dr. White Salmon WA (509) 493-1101 → M-F 9AM-5PM, SA 9AM-1PM

• Hi-School Pharmacy 291 E Jewett Blvd White Salmon WA (509) 493-4842 → M-SA 9AM-6PM, SU 9AM-3PM

• K-C Pharmacy 104 W Main St. Goldendale WA (509) 773-4344 → Please contact for hours of operation

• Klickitat Valley Health Hospital 310 S Roosevelt Goldendale WA (509) 773-4022 → M-Sa 9AM-7PM

People who would prefer to mail back unwanted medicine for disposal can request free, pre-paid, pre-authorized packages by visiting med-project.org, or by calling (844) MED-PROJECT.

For more information about the MED-Project drug take-back program and available services in Clark, Skamania and Klickitat counties, including accepted types of medication, please contact MED-Project at (844) MED-PROJECT/(844) 633-7765, or visit med-project.org. You will also find downloadable educational materials, public service announcements and more.

If you or someone you know is suffering from addiction to opioids, now is the time to get help. Programs are available across Washington state to help you live an opioid-free life. Find out more at www.GetTheFactsRx.com.

Counter Tobacco developed a report on the disparities between urban and rural tobacco point of sale. Click here to access resources and learn more.

The United States has steadily expanded tobacco protections since 1964—with less smoke in the air and fewer advertisements for harmful products as a result. However, these health protections, including ones in the retail environment, are less likely to cover the places where people in rural areas live, learn, work, and play. The tobacco industry spends more than $1 million dollars an hour marketing their products, most of which is spent in the retail environment, and they market especially heavily in rural communities, with targeted advertising, cheap prices, and steep discounts.

This report will describe the impacts of that targeted point-of-sale (POS) marketing as well as what POS policies may help reduce the current disparities we see in tobacco use between rural and urban communities. For additional exploration of tobacco prevention and control in a rural context, see “Advancing Tobacco Prevention and Control in Rural America.”

This month we're hosting a special Rural Network Orientation training, the full network meeting, a toolkit workgroup, and the Steering Committee meeting. Please see the calendar at the end of this newsletter for a full list of times and dates.

Rural Network Meeting

Tuesday January 26

2 - 3:30 p.m.

Click here to access meeting minutes from December.

Questions?

Email preventcoalition@esd112.org or learn more and to subscribe for meeting reminders.

• Toolkit: You voted to begin developing an online library of Rural Stock Photos. These will be used for prevention campaigns, media, communication, flyers, and more. Start submitting photos today! Click here to access the submission form. Any photos of youth submit will require parent/guardian approval.
• Website: We've updated our Rural Partners page. Want to be featured? Let us know!
• Map: Visit the new website map of coalitions across Washington. We will soon be adding the latest round of Drug Free Community coalition grantees from December as well as Opioid grant recipients.
• Assessment: You will receive the second part of the Needs Assessment containing Healthy Youth Survey data near the end of January. In February, our meeting will be hosted by Clark County Public Health to discuss and share what they learned in an interactive format.
• Training: We are hosting an online data training in March to reflect on the Needs Assessment Part 2, learn how to analyze data, and how to collect/use qualitative data. Stay tuned for more information.
• Recruitment: We are always seeking new voices to join our network. We are especially interested in recruiting people who identify as Black/African American, Latinx, LGBTQ+, and most importantly YOUTH. Send new recruits the information about our upcoming Rural Network Orientation Day!

For a full grant progress timeline visit www.preventcoalition.org/rural/our-work/.

COVID Snapshot Report - Adolescents

COVID Snapshot Report - Adults

In two new data Dashboards, the Washington Poison Center (WAPC) reports nicotine and cannabis exposures during 2020. This data is particularly relevant amidst concerns of the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on substance use, especially with substances that are readily available. Both Dashboards note a continuation of historical trends—a decrease in overall nicotine exposures and increase in overall cannabis exposures. This is both encouraging and concerning: certain substance-related policies, prevention, and harm reduction strategies may be contributing to preventing exposures during this challenging time. However, any exposure is concerning, and trends may shift as both the policy landscape and individual experiences with COVID-19 continue to change.

Both Dashboards compare poison exposures during the first 9 months of 2020 (January 1 – September 30) to those in the first 9 months of 2019.

• Nicotine exposures in children ages 0-5 years decreased 27%. In 2020, 245 pediatric cases were due to ingestion, primarily of raw tobacco. Exposures to vape products were less common (68 pediatric cases), but were of greater clinical concern, due to the toxicity of liquid nicotine.
• At least one-third of all vape product exposures involved flavored products. Among exposures in children ages 0-5 years specifically, at least half involved flavored products.
• THC (the main chemical compound contributing to cannabis intoxication) exposures increased 44% in children ages 0-5 years. Most of these exposures were accidents with unsecured products. Exposures in adults ages 21-59 increased 20%, and were mainly due to intentional abuse (use to become “high”).
• Nearly half of all THC exposures involved edible formulations.

“The concerning and ongoing trends we are seeing with cannabis and nicotine further demonstrate the Washington Poison Center’s essential services: both the free Poison Helpline for emergencies, and public education programs focused on prevention and harm reduction. These are services NO other agency in WA state provides,” says Erica Liebelt MD, WAPC Executive and Medical Director.

Always store products out of sight and out of reach of children, and preferably locked up. For additional prevention and harm reduction education, contact mryuk@wapc.org. For any emergencies with nicotine or cannabis, call the WAPC’s Poison Helpline at 1-800-222-1222.

Prevent Coalition events:

Southwest Regional Network Meeting

Tuesday January 5

10:30-12 p.m.

Online virtual conference call.

For members of the Regional Network.

Rural Network Orientation Day

Wednesday January 13

1-2 p.m.

Online virtual conference call.

For newer and prospective members.

Annual Youth Advocacy Training Part 1

Wednesday January 20

3-5 p.m.

Online virtual training.

For youth & chaperones in SW Washington.

Rural Toolkit Workgroup Meeting

Tuesday January 26

2-3:30 p.m.

Online virtual conference call.

For members interested in the toolkit task.

Rural Network Meeting

Tuesday January 19

11-12:30 p.m.

Online virtual conference call.

For rural volunteers, representatives & leaders across Washington.

Annual Youth Advocacy Training Part 2

Wednesday January 27

3-5 p.m.

Online training.

For youth & chaperones in Southwest Washington.

Coalition Coordinators Meeting

Thursday January 28

9:30-11:00 a.m.

Online virtual conference call.

For coalition staff & Coordinators in the Southwest Region.

Click for full calendar of coalition and community events.

Relevant events not sponsored by Prevent Coalition:

1/12 Webinar: Passing the Mic to the Next Generation

1/13 Virtual Training: Responsible Liquor & Cannabis Sales

1/13 Webinar: Who's Doing What?: The Epidemiology of Adolescent Substance Use

1/13 Webinar: E-Cigarettes: Finding the truth among the vapors

1/14 Webinar: Collaborating to Address the Opioid Crisis Amidst a Pandemic

1/15 Webinar: Perception of Harm From E-Cigarettes & Support for a Tobacco-Free Campus

1/25-2/5 Training: Online Prevention Ethics: A Guide for Substance Abuse Prevention Practitioners

1/26 Webinar: Hot Topics — Public Health, This is Your Shot!

1/26 Webinar: Pushing Policy for Youth Advocacy

2/1 - 2/4 CADCA National Leadership Forum

2/9 Webinar: Effectively Communicating in a New Virtual World

2/23 Webinar: Improving Health Equity Among Today's Youth

3/4 Webinar: Who's Doing What?: The Epidemiology of Adolescent Substance Use

Our mission is connecting and supporting communities to build resilience and prevent youth substance use. We envision a healthy, thriving community free of substance abuse.

Forward this newsletter to a friend, colleague or youth leader. You may also pass our news link along: bit.ly/preventnews.

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: @preventcc112