News & Updates

  • Help Teens Enjoy Holidays Safely

    03/14/2017

    The holiday season is a time of joy, giving thanks and celebrating with family and friends. Not a time to be marred by the memory and sadness of a loved one involved in a fatal traffic collision. The sad truth is that impaired driving is the leading cause of traffic deaths in Washington, and these deaths are preventable. The Washington Traffic Safety Commission reports that from

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  • With poisonings on the rise, parents reminded to lock up marjuana edibles

    03/14/2017

    The Washington Poison Center is warning parents about an increase in calls about kids accidentally eating marijuana-edibles. A variety of candy-style products exist in the medical marijuana market. Marijuana-edibles can be found in a variety of shapes, sizes, and types that often resemble traditional candies and sweets in their product name and/or appearance, such as brownies, candy bars,

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  • New Interactive Tool Helps Parents "Start the Talk"

    03/14/2017

    SAMHSA recently launched Start the Talk, an interactive, online simulation tool that helps parents and caregivers of children ages 9 to 15 practice tough conversations about alcohol. Start the Talk is the newest component of "Talk. They Hear You.", SAMHSA's national underage drinking prevention campaign, which launched last May. The Campaign equips parents and caregivers with the information,

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  • Alcohol Advertising: Does It Affect Kids?

    03/14/2017

    Washington State has new outdoor advertising rules to reduce the alcohol ads youth are exposed to in their communities. See the Get Involved page for ways to educate your community about the rules and laws to reduce underage drinking. Let's draw the line! Visit the Facebook and YouTube campaign pages. Here are some facts about alcohol marketing and youth: According to the Federal Trade

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  • Parents are the best teachers about healthy choices

    03/14/2017

    As a parent you will likely recall your own sense of excitement on returning to school after summer break. You also may have experienced a touch of anxiety in thinking about whether your new teachers would be soft or strict, whether your stories of summer fun would match up to those of your friends, if your new clothes would cause a splash, a ripple or a thud, and if your new classes would be

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  • Mercer Island High School club shows it's fun to be drug-free

    03/14/2017

    A new club at Mercer Island High School is offering a safe haven for students who want to steer clear of marijuana, alcohol and other substances, and is in turn inspiring others to make that choice too. Mercer Island’s S.A.F.E. Club (for Super Awesome Fun Events) was initiated by senior Sarah Stewart, who transferred from a high school in northern Michigan where problems with substance abuse

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  • Help your teens stay healthy and safe over summer

    03/14/2017

    Summer vacation is here, which means teens will be spending more time out and about doing fun things with friends. Summertime can also mean less supervision, and a greater chance your teen will have access to alcohol, marijuana or other drugs. When teens use alcohol, marijuana or other drugs, they can become impaired more quickly than someone who is over 21. Any impairment can lead to poor

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  • It's 4/20: Do you Know Where Your Teens Are?

    03/14/2017

    420. What do these numbers mean? Many parents are unaware that 420 has become a term associated with marijuana use and that April 20th has become a sort of “counter culture” holiday where people gather to celebrate and consume cannabis. Knowledge is power, and so is your influence. Get the facts about how marijuana use can cause memory and learning problems in teens, and other risks to teen

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  • Is your back to school list complete?

    03/14/2017

    Gather school supplies. ►Take kids shopping for clothes. ►Get sports physicals. ►Talk to kids about alcohol and marijuana. Getting ready to go back to school can be an exciting time for kids as they look forward to being back with their friends and all the activities and opportunities that school brings. It can also be a time of sadness, knowing that the freedom of summer is coming

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  • Changing the Conversation about 4.20

    03/14/2017

    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

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