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As prom and graduation season approaches, this is a time when students, and their parents, celebrate their accomplishments.  The following was written by a graduating senior of Mercer Island High School.  It reminds parents that, while their children are graduating and entering adulthood, they still need your encouragement and reminders about why it is so important to keep making healthy decisions.  

As the end of our senior year in high school approaches, I have noticed a different kind of buzz in the air. Suddenly getting the mail becomes more than a chore, and cheering at sports games – varsity or not – is extremely important. The sun comes out and flowers bloom as our senioritis flourishes.

Words like second-semester... read more

With support from Governor Jay Inslee (read his proclamation here), the Washington Healthy Youth Coalition is helping to change the conversation on April 20th from a cannabis culture celebration, to a day to talk with your kids about NOT using marijuana. Our goal is to support parents in talking with their kids to help them make healthy choices.

Parents have the greatest influence on a child’s decision about using alcohol and other drugs. In fact, kids who learn about the risks from their parents are 50% less likely to use alcohol and other drugs than kids who do not.  Preventing underage marijuana use matters, because this will also reduce the risk of academic failure, addiction, traffic crashes... read more

Washington Poison Center

When most people think of the Washington Poison Center, they do not immediately think of alcohol and drug prevention but associate us with Mr. Yuk and childhood poison prevention.  In fact, whenever we are part of a conversation people often ask, “So why are you here?”  The reason is simple; over the 60 year history of the Washington Poison Center the types of substances we are called about have changed.

Many people think the poison center is a resource simply to help parents whose children have gotten into household products like soap and bleach; however, roughly half of the 63,000 calls we now receive each year are related to alcohol and other drugs: over- the-counter medicines, prescription drugs, legal and illicit substances.  This... read more

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