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Tobacco/Vaping

Vaping and nicotine addiction are difficult to break – especially for youth. Vaping nicotine can:

• Harm the developing adolescent brain – the brain keeps developing until around age 25.
• Harm the parts of the brain that control attention, learning, mood, and impulse control.
• Change how synapses are formed in the brain. Synapses are the connections between parts of the brain, formed when new memories are made, or skills are learned.
• Lead to symptoms like irritability, restlessness, feeling anxious or depressed, trouble sleeping, problems concentrating, and craving nicotine.ⁱ

What begins as a social thing can become an addiction:

• The most common reason U.S. middle and high school students give for trying an e-cigarette is “a friend used them.”

• The most common reason youth give for continuing to use e-cigarettes is “I am feeling anxious, stressed, or depressed.”ⁱⁱ

Vaping products, liquid, and devices produce clouds that are not harmless “water vapor”. They can contain:

• Nicotine
• Ultrafine particles that travel deep into lungs
• Flavorings like diacetyl – a chemical linked to serious lung disease
• Volatile organic compounds
• Cancer-causing chemicals
• Heavy metals like nickel, tin, and lead

 Even though vaping can be hard to quit, and peer pressure to try vaping can be a powerful force, there are things you can do:

• If you are a parent or guardian of middle or high school age kids – talk to them about vaping, the risks, empowering them to say no, and supporting them talking to their friends about avoiding vaping.
• If you are a young person – support your friends in saying no to vaping, listen to their concerns and challenges, and help them find and use resources for supported quitting.
• Consider using a resource like the ones below. They are free of charge and support can help a lot for quitting nicotine and vaping.

Where to Find Help

In an emergency, call 911 or take the child to a hospital or crisis center for evaluation. If your concerns are less urgent, seek help as soon as possible from a mental health professional. The child’s school psychologist might be able to share resources in your community.

To find a licensed psychologist in your area, use our Psychologist Locator. Ideally, seek out a mental health professional with specialized training in treating children or adolescents.

Resources

• 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
• American Association of Suicidology: Community Support & Resources
• Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide

Navigating online safety can be a challenge. Misuse of cellular devices, internet and social media platforms have heavy legal ramifications for youth. Click below for helpful resources for keeping your children safe.

Underage Drinking is Dangerous

Youth who drink alcohol are more likely to experience:

• School problems, such as higher rates of absences or lower grades.
• Social problems, such as fighting or lack of participation in youth activities.
• Legal problems, such as arrest for driving or physically hurting someone while drunk.
• Physical problems, such as hangovers or illnesses.
• Unwanted, unplanned, and unprotected sexual activity.
• Disruption of normal growth or sexual development.
• Physical and sexual violence.
• Increased risk of suicide and homicide.
• Alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes and other unintentional injuries, such as burns, falls, or drowning.
• Memory problems.
• Misuse of other substances.
• Changes in brain development that may have life-long effects.
• Alcohol poisoning.

In general, the risk of youth experiencing these problems is greater for those who binge drink than for those who do not binge drink.

Early initiation of drinking is associated with development of an alcohol use disorder later in life.

Fast Facts

• In 2019, 4 in 10 high school students reported using marijuana in their lifetime.
• Marijuana use might have permanent effects on the developing brain when use begins in adolescence, especially with regular or heavy use.
• Compared with teens who do not use marijuana, teens who use marijuana are more likely to quit high school or not get a college degree.

Fentanyl 101

• Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 50 to 100 times stronger than morphine.
• It is now a leading cause of drug overdoses in Oregon.
• Fentanyl has no taste or smell, and it can be found in fake pills and powders being sold as different drugs.
• Like other opioids, fentanyl slows breathing and heart rate, which can result in death.
• The reason fentanyl is so risky is because it only takes a very small amount to cause an overdose. 
• Fentanyl is found in pills sold as Xanax, Adderall, OxyContin, MDMA, or others.
• It might be in powders sold as cocaine, methamphetamine, or heroin.
• Substances may look the same, but fentanyl has changed the drug supply in Oregon because it is strong, cheap, and easy to transport.

For more information visit the Fentanyl Aware website: