The new Monitoring the Future survey data is out and while there is some positive news about teenagers and alcohol and other drug use, the news about teenagers and vaping is nothing short of alarming.

Monitoring the Future is a long term epidemiological study which examines teenage use of alcohol and other drugs along with their perception of the risks and peer and parental disapproval of drug use. The study, out of the University of Michigan, has surveyed some 50,000 high schoolers annually since 1975 – first only 12th graders and then adding 8th and 10th graders to the study in 1991. While this year’s data was promising in that teen use of alcohol, marijuana and other illegal drugs like opioids have either dropped or held steady, teen vaping rates have soared.

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NCUFY has now completed its second year of funding under the federal Drug Free Communities program. As contemplated by the grant, NCUFY has prepared an annual report summarizing goals and objectives of our Action Plan and strategies and efforts implemented to achieve them. Included at the end of the Report are some goals and objectives the Coalition has identified as priorities for Year Three. To read the report, click here: New Castle United for Youth – Year 2 Annual Report

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NCUFY was pleased to partner with Horace Greeley High School in bringing Dr. Amelia Arria, Director, Center on Young Adult Health and Development at the University of Maryland School of Public Health to share her expertise with parents and other community members earlier this month.  Dr. Arria’s research focuses on health risk behaviors among college students and how these issues interfere with academic performance. Her presentation focused on areas of concern for high school parents and the impact of substance use, particularly marijuana, on academic performance. Recent studies show that marijuana use may have a greater impact on the teenage brain than other substances including alcohol.

If you missed Dr. Arria’s parent presentation, you can view it on Vimeo. The video is password protected. If you did not see the password in your weekly PTA email, email us at newcastleunitedforyouth@gmail.com, and we will send it to you.

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It will probably come as no surprise to many of you that the Wednesday before Thanksgiving has come to be nicknamed “Drinksgiving” or “Blackout Wednesday” in reference to its popularity as a night for friends, particularly returning college students, to get together and celebrate – often consuming large quantities of alcohol. If you have college students home for the weekend, you can expect them to want to go out and reconnect with friends but you should also help them set parameters for doing that safely.

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Did you know that today is the Great American Smokeout? A nationwide event held on the third Thursday of November, the Great American Smokeout is sponsored by the American Cancer Society to draw attention to the health impacts of cigarette smoking and exposure to second hand smoke and to encourage people to stop smoking.

When this event began in the 1970s, cigarette smoking was commonplace and people were just beginning to learn about the effects of tobacco and nicotine on their lungs and other organs. In the years since, there has been a dramatic shift in public perception of the risks of cigarette smoking. With all the enactment of a myriad of laws designed to reduce smoking in the late 1980s and 1990s and a host of public awareness campaigns, cigarette smoking among adults dropped from 42% in 1965 to about 15.5% in 2016. And cigarette smoking rates are even lower among teens with only 7.6% smoking tobacco in 2017.

With all of these advances, the Great American Smokeout was starting to feel less relevant. But with the alarming trend of vaping by teens, there is clearly still a need to educate people about the addictive nature of nicotine and the health impacts of cigarette smoking, including in electronic form.

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Students at Horace Greeley High School and Bell and Seven Bridges Middle Schools took part in activities this past week in recognition of Red Ribbon Week. For the past 30 years, schools nationwide have used Red Ribbon Week, observed during the last week of October, to raise awareness about the dangers of drugs and to encourage students to lead drug free lives.

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When you think of Halloween, what comes to mind? Chances are that in addition to picturing cute costumed children collecting candy you will think about dressing up yourself and attending fun Halloween themed parties. Halloween has become one of the biggest drinking holidays of the year, and a high stakes occasion for our teens, including on the weekends surrounding a midweek holiday.

How do we let our children have fun and celebrate while staying safe? Make sure you have conversations with your child about their plans and your expectations. Be certain to include pedestrian safety tips and reminders about safe driving during times of high pedestrian traffic. And remember these precautions yourself when you drop off or pick up your child at a Halloween celebration.

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Following the positive reception to researcher Dr. Stephen Dewey last spring, NCUFY worked to identify other speakers to bring to our community to share their research with parents, faculty and students. A standout in that search was Dr. Amelia Arria, the Director of the Center on Young Adult Health and Development and the Office of Planning and Evaluation at the University of Maryland School of Public Health and we are pleased to share that she will be visiting our community on November 13 and 14.

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Youth Volunteer Fair

Sunday, October 21, 2018

12-2 pm,

First Congregational Church,

210 Orchard Ridge Road,

Chappaqua, New York

NCUFY is pleased to once again sponsor the Volunteer Fair which provides community youth in Grades 5 and up with the ability to connect with volunteer organizations as part of our commitment to helping kids make positive choices and community connections.

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With the school year underway, we are excited to share NCUFY’s role in bringing a new resource to our community. Working in partnership with the CCSD, NCUFY has funded a part time middle school prevention specialist to work with Bell and Seven Bridges middle school students this year. Our shared goal in bringing this resource to the district is to help our middle school students better understand positive social norms around alcohol and other drug use, see the benefits of making positive health choices and to continue to develop coping and refusal skills.

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