SAC Corner

Issue No. 1: https://www.smore.com/nejd3

Issue No. 2: https://www.smore.com/e3kc9

Issue No. 3: https://www.smore.com/r38nb

Issue No. 4: https://www.smore.com/am95v

Issue No. 5: https://www.smore.com/4xy68

Issue No. 6: https://www.smore.com/0xp39

Issue No. 7 https://www.smore.com/xhqf10-sac-corner

Kids are using Snapchat & Instagram to buy and sell vapes and other drugs. They connect with people (sometimes they know them and sometimes they are strangers) and can arrange deals.

The ads on their profiles can be regular posts or "stories" that disappear after usually 24hrs. Even when advertised on Instagram (IG) they are often told to ask for their "snap" aka their Snapchat handle because Snapchat conversations and snaps can disappear in seconds. Less likelihood of getting caught.

This is a growing problem. Younger and younger these kids are being targeted with these sale adds. Often with fun sounding flavors for the vapes which may be nicotine or THC filled.

Also, please remember we are in a fentanyl crisis as well as other counterfeit laced drugs. Fentanyl and Carfentanil are deadly. DEA lab tests show that 4 out of every 10 pills with fentanyl contain a deadly dose.

What to do:

• First and foremost talk to your kids. They actually listen, even while eye rolling. Let them know that it isn't safe.
• You could also tell them you plan to borrow their phone from time to time and look through the social media. See the accounts they follow and what kind of content they post.
• Does your kid use Venmo? Make sure you know who they send money to, go over the transactions with them. Are they receiving a strange amount of money? Make sure they are not selling anything illegally.
• MYTH BUSTERS! Make sure your kids know the facts correctly. You wouldn't believe how many kids tell me:
  1. "It's just water vapor" - no it is not! E-Cigs/Juuls are aerosols and definitely not water
  2. "It isn't addictive" - actually, cannabis IS addictive!
  3. "They don't lace drugs because they won't waste their good stuff for less" - not how it works! They aren't being laced with "quality", they are being laced with chemicals, poisons, and fatal drugs. They use less of what they say it is and fill it with junk.
• "It's natural" - nope! many of the forms of cannabis kids get their hands on are flushed with chemicals, and the smoke still leaves tar on the lungs!

Social media platforms often have "report" or "block" features to help with safety and security. However, not all platforms are following up with the reports & blocks nor investigating all claims. Click the title to view The Skimm article captured below. The underlined words are links to deeper dives.

What it means for us breaks down to keeping your socials on private, insist your friends do the same, do not add anyone you do not personally know, and do not open messages from anyone you do not personally know.

You read that right, eggplant contains nicotine. They aren't the only ones, check out bell peppers, potatoes, and tomatoes too. You may see this knowledge circulating, but dig a little deeper before trying to have these nightshade veggies on the you must be 21+ to buy list.

What's misleading about this fun fact is that 20lbs of eggplant may equate to one cigarette - however eating 20lbs of eggplant wouldn't put the nicotine content of one cigarette into your body because you don't absorb everything that way. Plant Humor explains it in a funny post here: https://planthumor.com/2018/11/05/eggplants-are-the-new-e-cigs/

Although there isn't any definitive science on it, there are wonderings within the community if eggplant could be used as a cessation tool due to its low but present nicotine levels. It could be a healthy addition to a quit-plan.

Check out how scientists have grafted eggplant with tobacco to reduce tobacco's nicotine content: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7310140/

What is it?

Cancel culture is removing or withdrawing support from companies or individuals who have said, done, or posted something offensive and/or problematic

Why do it? What's the benefit?

Canceling someone/something can be a highly effective component of social change. It can force a company or individual to re-evaluate, take a look inward, and even make changes to their own behaviors, where they throw their support, or business models.

Great. Is there a downside?

Absolutely. There are a few.

• Influence: some individuals (such as celebrities) hold an influence over many. When a person of influence "cancels" someone/thing over a personal issue, their followers can take it on as their own and snowball it. Social media also makes people feel more connected to famous people and they tend to behave in mimicry or solidarity.
  - For example: Taylor Swift fans (Swifties) have taken to "canceling" some of her ex-partners and in addition to withdrawing support and fandom, they have sent death threats to these ex-partners
  
  
• Purpose: a likely well intentioned boycott/protest used to catalyze change has become used to also isolate and bully. Teens will cancel a peer through unfollowing on social media, blocking on social media/text, ignoring in school (freeze outs), putting them on blast (call out/call in), and more. It is used to shame, embarrass, and isolate a person. During the teenage years, this can be not only harsh but traumatizing. It can lead to depression and suicidality that lasts long after the initial "canceling".
  
  
• Development: speaking up against bullying, racism, sexism, and other unacceptable behaviors is important. Youths should not be afraid to step out of a bystander role and stand up for equality and justice. However, youths should also be allowed to make mistakes. The human brain won't be fully developed until 26-27yrs old. Teenagers' brains are still developing, they are beginning to set identities, values, and beliefs outside of what their caregivers' are, in comparison to peers and society, and all while still being impressionable young minds craving acceptance and approval. To be cancelled as a youth can have devastating impacts. Cancel culture removes the ability to re-evaluate and apologize, to make mistakes, to disagree, to learn forgiveness and empathy.

What do we do?

Easy! Talk to your kids/students. Help kids understand the consequences of the cancel culture behavior. Ask them to step into the other person's shoes. Talk about what it means to disagree, to have empathy, to see multiple perspectives, and to forgive. Remind students how quickly it becomes cyberbullying and to use good digital citizenship - even when passionate for change! Use the THINK model for posting online. If the youth is cancelling others, ask why. Ask if they tried other approaches first. Is there something cancelling gives them? A rewarding feeling? Self-esteem? Power? If your youth is the one being cancelled, give them a judgement free outlet to talk about what happened, their experience, how they feel, what they wish was different, and then help them with conflict resolution strategies and ahow to apologize meaningfully.

In addition to being a safe space for counseling and support, my SAC office offers a wealth of literature and information on areas impacting families. Some of the topics are:

Eating disorders, cancer impact support, LGBTQ+ specific cancer resources, HIV/AIDs, vaping/e-cigs, stress, mental/behavioral health programs, panic disorder, teen depression, men's depression, women's depression, OCD, ADHD, PTSD, addiction, cannabis, alcohol, opioids, inhalants, stimulants, prescription drugs, nicotine, disaster, how to talk to teens about (vaping, marijuana, opioids, alcohol), wallet cards for mental health hotlines, & more.

If you'd like samples of any of these, please do not hesitate to reach out. These resources are totally free and I am always happy to provide info books, pamphlets, and more.

Evali (e-cigarette, or vaping product use associated lung injury) is a serious medical condition that as of Feb'20 the CDC has recorded 2800 hospitalizations and 68 deaths because of.

15% of these Evali patients were less than 18 years old.

Symptoms:

• Shortness of breath
• Cough
• Chest pain
• Fever and chills
• Diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain
• Rapid heartbeat
• Rapid and shallow breathing

Treatments may include:

• Corticosteroids. A type of medication that reduces inflammation in the lungs and throughout the body.
• Supportive care. Patients may receive supplemental oxygen through a nasal cannula. In more severe cases, they may be put on a mechanical ventilator or an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation machine.
• Antibiotics. These drugs may be given to the patient while diagnostic test results are being finalized as it’s difficult to distinguish EVALI from bacterial infections.
• Antivirals. Because EVALI causes similar symptoms to some viral infections, antivirals may be used, especially during influenza season.

(thanks Yale Medicine https://www.yalemedicine.org/conditions/evali)

Click "coming soon" above for a more in depth article on the new lifeline. Much like how 9-1-1 is our well known emergency dial, the government is spending millions of dollars to get a 9-8-8 national suicide prevention lifeline up and running by this summer.

According to the CDC:

• In 2019, suicide was the 2nd leading cause of death in young people, 10th leading cause in nation overall.
• 47,500 deaths by suicide in 2019, which about one death every 11 minutes - this does not include thoughts and attempts
• 12 million adults seriously thought about suicide
• 3.4 million made a plan for suicide
• 1.4 million attempted suicide

If certain content is sensitive or a "trigger" for you, try using this website: http://www.doesthedogdie.com before watching a new movie, tv show, or reading a new book. It lists a wide variety of content warnings. It is public/user driven - like Wikipedia.

If you'd like your student to join a free online vaping education class to learn the truth about vaping and receive a completion certificate, have them sign up here:

Have students go to everfi.com/register, enter code 771498ee and click Next.

This is a Truth course supported by EverFi and monitored by our district SAC (me).

Newport Academy is offering a guide on how to do a mental health temperature check with your teen(s) using 10 questions. Newport Academy also offers ways to incorporate evidence based "temperature" lowering activities into your teen's life and routine. Check it out!

https://www.newportacademy.com/resources/mental-health/mental_health_temperature_check/?utm_source=pardot&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=11_09_21_na_resources_temp_check&utm_content=1st_img

Newport Academy/Institute is a treatment center/teen rehab. They are not in any way partnered nor affiliated with the Haddonfield School District.

They do provide a lot of free information and resources that I share when appropriate.

Email: hpenna@haddonfield.k12.nj.us
Website: https://haddonfieldschools.org/
Location: A104 HMHS
Phone: 856-429-3960 . 1155