CY's mission is to promote a culture that develops in our youth the power and conviction to make healthy choices.
Connecting Youth relies on the support of local schools; local, state and federal grants and the generous support of the local community. Please make a donation today!
The 2018 National Youth Tobacco Survey from the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed e-cigarette use among middle schoolers increased by 48 percent and increased by 78 percent among high schoolers in just one year.
The Truth Initiative has designed a new texting program which is called THIS IS QUITTING. It is an innovative text message program that was created with input from teens, college students and young adults who have attempted to, or successfully, quit e-cigarettes. It is a first-of-its-kind program supporting young people ages 13-24 to quit vaping. The program is tailored by age group to give teens and young adults appropriate recommendations about quitting. The program will also serve as a resource for parents looking to help their children who now vape. Since the “This is Quitting” program launched at the beginning of the year, over 50,000 young adults have enrolled and research shows that at 14 days over 60% of respondents indicated they had reduced or stopped e-cigarettes. Youth and young adults can access the new e-cigarette quit program by texting "DITCHJUUL" to 88709. Parents and other adults looking to help young people quit should text "QUIT" to (202) 899-7550. Adults looking to quit vaping themselves can visit Become An Ex for resources and text support. Learn About the Effects of Marijuana on Growing ChildrenFrequent marijuana use can affect the ways developing brains grow. And brains don’t finish developing until a person’s mid-twenties! For young people, marijuana is NOT harmless. As a parent, it’s important to let your child know the risks that come with using marijuana.
Using marijuana can be harmful to your child’s development. One of the best ways to prevent your child from using is by simply talking to them. Parents are the number one influence on their children’s behavior. There’s never going to be a perfect time to talk to your child about marijuana, but it’s an important conversation to have. It’s up to you to start that dialogue. Having conversations with supportive adults makes young people much, much less likely to start using marijuana or other substances. These tricky conversations build trust, give you insight into what’s going on in your child’s life, and improve outcomes for your child. Legalization means it’s more important now than ever to talk to your children. Find out what you should know here Talk to Your Child About Marijuana Download this free kit What you need to know to talk with your teen about marijuana Learn more about how to protect your child and take action from ParentUp at parentupvt.org     Young Adult Ad images (Source: unsplash.com)
PACE Vermont pace vERMONT STUDY LAUNCHConnecting Youth celebrates the launch of Vermont's Policy and Communication Evaluation (PACE Vermont), a new study to understand the impact of state-level policies and communication campaigns on substance use beliefs and behaviors in young Vermonters. Led by an expert research team from the University of Vermont and the Vermont Department of Health, PACE Vermont will help direct substance use prevention resources where they are needed most.
Until now, Vermont public health experts have relied on youth surveys done every two years to inform substance use prevention efforts. But a lot can happen in two years! By surveying 3,000 young Vermonters aged 12-25, PACE Vermont will help close this knowledge gap on rapidly changing questions, such as:
Role Modeling as You Celebrate the SeasonThis time of year alcohol is often a regular part of the holiday celebration and traditions for some families – office parties, eggnog, and champagne toasts can help to create confusing messages for kids about healthy responsible use. During the teen years, the part of the brain responsible for making complex judgments is not as mature as the parts dedicated to emotion and motivation. So it’s only natural for emotions and impulses to win out over good judgment. At the same time, the incredible changes that take place in the brain during these years leave it very vulnerable to the effects of alcohol and drugs—meaning that the decisions your teen makes now could impact them for life.
We know that parental alcohol use and parents' attitudes toward drinking are one of the strongest influences on decisions children will make and the perceptions they have regarding alcohol. Adolescents are less likely to drink if they live in homes where parents have specific rules against drinking underage and also drink responsibly themselves. For parents and caregivers, the holiday season offers an excellent opportunity to model the appropriate role of alcohol at celebrations. Children often pay greater attention to what their parents do than what they say. Here are a few tips and things to consider:
talk to your kids about marijuanaLegalization means it's more important than ever to talk to your children. Find out what you should know here.
Give helpFrom the VT Suicide Prevention Center:Give HelpThe goals of suicide prevention are to help the person understand that you care, there are alternatives to suicide, they can get safely through the crisis and that you can help them seek available resources.
How Should I Respond to Suicidal Behavior?What Can I DO When the Need is URGENT?
More information can be found here. You are your kids’ #1 influence. Talk to your kids about the dangers of alcohol and other drugs. 
Vermont parents know it’s important to have conversations with their kids about alcohol and other drug use. But how? Watch video tips from Vermont parents on how to keep teens on the right track when it comes to alcohol and other drug use.
Click here to watch the videos. |
Dangerous Leftovers
Approach securing your prescriptions the same way you would other valuables in your home, like jewerly or cash. Click here to learn more. 
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