I recently lost a very close family friend to an accidental drug overdose. He is not the first, but I hope the work I do will ensure that he is the last. I have lost too many friends to mental illness and addiction. I can’t quite put my finger on the cause of this...
By Gina Sisca Hazlett When Susan Parmelee asked me to write a guest Wellness & Prevention column the answer was an easy yes. The Wellness & Prevention Coalition was established to bring resources together that support healthy youth and families in South...
By Amarii Sandoval, Wellness & Prevention Coalition Youth Leadership Member In February of this year I had the opportunity to attend the 29th Annual National Leadership Forum led by the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA). The Forum was made up of...
As we transition from Thanksgiving into the winter holidays, I find myself both excited and a little anxious as in the past I was known in my family for being so worried about the perfect Christmas that I often turned into the Grinch. Now, a few years older and wiser,...
Both parents and educational professionals often ask me what substances young people seem to use the most and what today’s trends are. Often, adults who pose this question have a preconceived notion of what the predominant substances are and, not surprisingly these...
June is an exciting time of year, particularly for our high school graduates and their families. May and June are also the months where youth impaired (this includes illegal substance use, distractions and cell phone use) driving accidents peak. Tie a red ribbon on...
Acetaldehyde, benzene, cadmium, formaldehyde, isoprene, lead, nickel, n-nitrosonornicotine, and toluene have been found in e-cigarettes and vapes. Sadly, the FDA decided to allow Phillip Morris to advertise a vaping device as “safer than cigarettes.” And even more...
San Clemente High School students Yuki Dias and Helen Calderon are back from Washington, D.C., where they represented San Clemente at a Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America conference. During their trip Feb. 6-9 they met with congressional representatives Darrell...
Last month, I had the honor to be able to recognize five community members who believe that supporting youth helps our community thrive. Most successful individuals can name a few key adults who supported and inspired them as they navigated the difficult process of...
How might legalizing recreational marijuana affect our youth? Here are the facts you need to know. 26: The number of cities, out of 31, that have voted to ban recreational sales of marijuana after previously voting for it. 29%: The increase in marijuana-related ER...