An excerpt from our incredible partners at the University of Washington Addictions, Drug & Alcohol Institute (ADAI). Below is a link to research and resources they've developed for the community.

With a legal market of cannabis products has come the wide distribution of manufactured products containing much higher levels of THC than what has been historically found in the plant.

Science to date shows a dose-response relationship between THC concentration and health consequences. Manufactured cannabis products may add further risks due to additives, residues and contaminants.

Researchers and policy makers are working to better understand these risks.

Visit this webpage to access recent reports and summaries that describe what we know so far.

Join the Washington Poison Center from August 23 - September 3 for an educational series on Overdose Prevention, Harm Reduction, and Treatment. Through presentations from their own staff and from external experts, they’ll explore unintentional and intentional factors that can lead to overdose, how to respond to different overdose situations, how to prevent and reduce harm from overdose, and how to access resources and treatment in the state of Washington. Their goal is to open dialogue, de-stigmatize, and ensure everyone is aware of the help available in our communities.

Sessions will be held on Zoom or live-streamed to Washington Poison Center's Facebook and YouTube pages; all sessions are free and open to any interested individuals. Please see the series flyer and the series landing page for additional information.

There are five sections to the guide:

1. Issue brief
2. What the research tells us
3. Guidance for selecting and implementing evidence-based programs and policies
4. Examples of effective vaping prevention and reduction interventions
5. Resources for evaluation and quality

Click here to access the publication.

Despite what many parents believe and feel, you have tremendous influence over whether your children can access these medications and misuse them, as well as their interest in doing so. Most importantly, kids themselves say that their parents have the greatest influence over their attitudes and behaviors around substances.

Know the facts

You can help protect your children by knowing the risks and staying informed about the how, where and why young people get and misuse prescription drugs. Parents and caregivers are an essential buffer between youth and the influences that encourage them to misuse medications.

Be ready to answer your child’s questions about medications honestly and accurately and in an age-appropriate way. You want them to see you as a good and trustworthy source of information. It is better for them to come to you with questions rather than get their information from less reliable sources like friends or social media.

Have a conversation

You don’t have to sit down for the “drug talk,” but there are opportunities in even casual settings – while watching the news or a movie – where you can discuss medication misuse. This can be after dinner, before bed or on the way to or from extracurricular activities. Most importantly, be ready to listen to your child and understand their perspective.

It can help to start the conversation with open-ended questions about what they think about prescription or OTC medication. Try to avoid scare tactics or threats. Instead, explain that you genuinely care about their health. It’s helpful to have conversations frequently, and if you can, before they gain access to medications. Remember to be clear about your expectations and compassionate. To learn more about how to have an effective conversation with your child about drugs, see our guide and resources.

Set a good example

If you, a family member, or anyone in your home has been prescribed potentially addictive medications, you can demonstrate proper use for your own safety. Set a good example for your child. Make sure to take doses as prescribed and safely dispose of expired or unwanted medication. Highlight and draw attention to these actions for children so they can learn by example.

Ask questions

Medication misuse can begin with a valid prescription from a trusted health care professional. Your child may think, “If my doctor prescribed this, it must be safe.” There are obviously times when such medications are needed, helpful, and should be taken. Still, it’s important to be fully aware of the risks of these medications. Learn how to minimize the chances that your child will misuse them.

Click here to learn more and access the publication

Mail-Back Services for expired or unwanted medicines are available, free of charge, to all Washington residents upon request. Mail-Back Distribution Locations may also be available in your area. Medications in any dosage form, except for those identified as not accepted below, in their original container or sealed bag are accepted.

To protect your privacy, patients are reminded to remove all personally identifiable information on medication labels or packaging before disposing of unwanted medicines. If transferring medications to a sealed bag, please be sure to recycle the remaining packaging.

Note: The following items are not accepted in Medicine Mail-Back Envelopes: Herbal remedies, vitamins, supplements, cosmetics, other personal care products, medical devices, batteries, mercury-containing thermometers, sharps, illicit drugs, pet pesticide products, and inhalers.

Inhaler Mail-Back Services

Mail-Back Services for inhalers are available, free of charge, to all Washington residents upon request. To protect your privacy, patients are reminded to remove all personally identifiable information on medication labels or packaging before disposing of unwanted medicines.

Note: Only place undamaged inhalers in their original containers in the Inhaler Mail-Back Package. Inhaler Mail-Back Packages can only be used for inhalers and cannot accept other types of items.

Injector Mail-Back Services

Mail-Back Services for pre-filled injector products are available, free of charge, to all residents upon request.

Note: Injector Mail-Back Packages can only be used for pre-filled injector products and cannot be used for inhalers or other types of unwanted medicines.

Go to MED-Project.org to learn more and to request a pre-paid, pre-addressed mail-back package to properly dispose of unused medicine, inhalers, and prefilled injector products. On the MED-Project website, you can find convenient community kiosk drop-off sites to properly dispose of unused and expired medications as well. Do not place medicine in the trash or recycling, and never flush it down the toilet or drain as it pollutes the environment and our waterways.

If you or someone you know is suffering from addiction to opioids, now is the time to get help. Programs are available across Washington state to help you live an opioid-free life. Learn more about overdose prevention, treatment, opioid misuse prevention, safe medication storage and disposal, and more at www.GetTheFactsRx.com.

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• Website: We added a new visual outcomes page.
• Website: We've added our new Year 3 Annual Plan to the website.
  
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• Recruitment: In September we'll host another "New Member Orientation."
• Evaluation: We just finished the year end evaluation, as well as our annual report. Click here to review our annual member assessment results.