Suffolk Region

Wendy Natalone

Health & Wellness Chair– Advocacy Team

Report as of November13, 2017

In its October, 2017 Advocacy Newsbriefs, NYS PTA has chosen to spotlight certain priority issues regarding Health and Wellness issues. And, based upon a review of said issues, my conclusion is that parents need to be having continuing conversations with their children about the prevalence of these concerning issues/substances:

The first such issue highlighted included the fact that NYS PTA advocacy was instrumental in the passage of two bills, one banning e-cigarettes from school grounds and one adding e-cigarettes to the Clean Indoor Air Act.

The NYS Department of Health’s website contains a page dedicated to e-cigarettes, and it contains many facts and evidence that shows why e-cigarettes are hazardous to youth and adults. It states the following:

“Vaping among high school students in New York State doubled between 2014 and 2016, and far exceeds the rate of cigarette smoking. Like cigarettes, e-cigarettes are aggressively marketed to make them as alluring as possible with flavors such as mint chocolate, berry cobbler, milk and cookies, and melon candy.

About E-cigs

E-cigarettes are known by many different names, such as e-cigs, e-hookahs, mods, vape pens, vapes and tank systems. When someone uses an e-cigarette device, they are vaping.

E-cigarettes are electronic devices that deliver nicotine, flavorings and other ingredients to users through an inhaled aerosol. E-cigarettes are battery operated and contain a cartridge filled with e-cig liquid, gel or juice. The battery powers an atomizer that vaporizes the liquid so it can be inhaled.

The Science - what we know!

Scientists are still studying e-cigarettes, but here is what we know so far:

  • E-cigarette liquid typically contains nicotine, and nicotine:
  • is highly addictive;1
  • is harmful to adolescent and young adult developing brains;1
  • can prime young brains for addiction to other drugs, such as cocaine and methamphetamine;1and
  • can lead to lower impulse control, mood disorders and disrupts attention and learning.1
  • E-Cigarette liquid with or without nicotine is dangerous because the emission from an e-cigarette can contain:
  • fine and ultrafine toxic particles, which can increase the risk of heart disease, lung cancer and asthma attacks, and interfere with the growth and work of the lungs;1
  • heavy metals such as lead, tin and nickel;1
  • chemicals used for flavoring such as diacetyl that can cause a serious lung disease commonly known as "popcorn lung";1and
  • volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which can cause long-term health effects including cancer.1
  • Many of the chemicals found in cigarette smoke are found in the aerosol or emission, including:
  • Formaldehyde, which is also found in embalming fluid;1,2
  • Cadmium, a chemical found in batteries;1,3
  • Benzene, found in gasoline;1,4and
  • Toluene, an industrial solvent.1,5

Studies show that youth who vape are more likely to smoke cigarettes than those who don't vape.1

For more information about e-cigarettes and vaping, visitKnow the Risks – E-cigarettes & Young People.

References:

  1. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.E-Cigarette Use Among Youth and Young Adults. A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 2016.
  2. National Cancer Institute.Formaldehyde and Cancer Risk. (last reviewed 2011 June 10)
  3. Occupational Safety and Health Administration.Cadmium - Overview.
  4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Benzene – Facts About Benzene. (last reviewed 2013 Feb 14)
  5. Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry.Toxic Substances Portal –Toluene. (last reviewed 2015 Jan 21)”

In addition, many teens these days are vaping what is known as Juul or Bo, which are both marketed as “A REAL ALTERNATIVE TO CIGARETTES”

According to the website, juulvapor.com, JUUL is designed “with smokers in mind”. The website goes on to say that:

“The JUUL vaporizer has regulated temperature control and uses nicotine salts as found in the tobacco leaf rather than free-base nicotine, unlike standard e-cigarettes. These qualities are unique to JUUL. By accommodating cigarette-like nicotine levels, JUUL provides satisfaction to meet the standards of smokers looking to switch from smoking cigarettes.”

Bo’s website states:

“BO Vaping offers a range of exciting and original flavors for their BO Vaping Starter Kit. BO Pods are designed to easily slot into place and they come in a wide range of different flavors. There are classic and traditional menthols and tobacco flavors but they also offer fun and unique fruit and other flavors. The BO pods range includes flavors such as Jelly (Mixed Berries) which is the perfect breakfast vape with it thick, intense fruit flavor. There are also Fresh Kiwiberries Ice BO pods which combine the refreshing flavor combo of strawberry and watermelon with a satisfying hit of ice menthol”.

Unfortunately, many teens are using Juul and Bo on a regular basis due to the fact that there is not much odor associated with such use. And, this regular use is occurring in the bathrooms of the schools…

Additionally, in this month’s Advocacy Newsbriefs, Wellness News, NYS PTA chose to highlight the following, which issue has been an incredibly important issue these past few years, (and it cannot be stressed enough how important it is): The Herion and Opiod Crisis:

Senator John Brooks recently held a conference with several local leaders and organizations all fighting the opioid epidemic. The coalition called for greater public awareness of drug use prevention, symptoms and resources to combat addiction.Read Senator Brooks Press Release on the Opioid Epidemic. (Credit NYS PTA).

Also, per NYS PTA, Governor Cuomo recently detailed a series of aggressive actionsto combat the fentanylcrisisacross New York State. The Governor has promoted legislation giving law enforcement the ability to go after the dealers who manufacture and sell these drugs. He also took action to direct insurers against instituting arbitrary limits on the number of naloxone doses covered by an insurance plan.

He also announced thatNew York State will be receiving $19 million in federal fundingto expand access to addiction services:

  • $10 million for promoting integration of primary and behavioral health care;
  • $5.7 Million Grant Will be Used to Expand and Enhance Medication-Assisted Treatment Programs; and
  • $3.3 Million Grant Will Support Expanded Services For Pregnant and Postpartum Women Diagnosed With a Substance Use Disorder

Other Educational Opportunities:

There are many programs that can be brought into communities which can further help educate parents and children about this awful epidemic. I am lucky enough to live in a community where such educational forums and programs have been held. My home school district’s PTA Council, HHH PTA Council, has a ‘Task Force/Parent Resource’ committee which brings programs into the district in order to educate parents on many topics. This committee was able to partner with and co-sponsor with our community library (Half Hollow Hills Community Library) two programs within the past two school years on the topic of substance abuse. The first forum, entitled “Save a Life… Start the Conversation” was held in March, 2016. Panelists spoke about their knowledge and/or experiences with substance abuse, whether as a police officer, a clinician, a person in recovery, or a family in recovery (who established a foundation to prevent lives lost to opiate/heroin addiction in memory of their son, who died of a heroin and fentanyl overdose.) The program covered such topics as signs/symptoms, brain development, Prevention, Social Host laws, the Good Samaritan law, legal consequences, trends, recovery, and personal stories. There was a Q&A at the end of the program. It was well attended, having over 150 people in attendance.

Due to the success of this program, it was decided to follow up this year with “Part 2” of the “Save a Life… Start the Conversation” program. The theme for last year’s program, which occurred in April, 2017, was: “It’s Never Too Early to Talk About Substance Abuse & Prevention”. This program was geared more towards middle school aged children and the topics includedtrends, signs/symptoms, brain development, having ‘The Talk’, and legal consequences. There was a Q & A at the end of the program.

That panel did not include a person in recovery or a family in recovery. This time, the moderator was the Project Director at Huntington Drug & Alcohol Counseling Center. The panel included a professional development and education specialist from LICADD (Long Island Council on Alcohol and Drug Dependence), a parenting educator and coach, a licensed clinical social worker and the Town of Huntington Youth Services Coordinator, and a Suffolk County Police Officer for the law enforcement viewpoint. The program was well attended by many middle school aged children as well as their parents along with other people in the community. The police officer in attendance spoke about how Long Island is the epicenter of heroin and opioid abuse, and that many of the overdoses are occurring in higher income communities. The prevalence of the prescribing of opioids was discussed. Many doctors and dentists continue to prescribe drugs such as Vicodin, Percocet, Oxycodone and other such drugs after simple tooth extractions, minor surgeries, etc. This continues to be a problem. These same groupsare planning a third program regarding this issue in the spring of 2018.

In the meantime, tomorrow, Tuesday, November 14th, there will be a program in my community covering these very same issues. It is entitled, “Be Smart, Don’t Start”, “a conversation about maintaining a drug and alcohol free lifestyle”, and targets 5th through 12th graders along with their parents.

Here is the flyer:

“Molly”- Another Warning for Teens:

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse for Teens:

“MDMA, short for3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, is most commonly known as Ecstasy or Molly- It is a man-made drug that produces energizing effects similar to the stimulants calledamphetamines, as well as psychedelic effects, similar to the hallucinogens mescaline and LSD. MDMA is known as a “club drug” because of its popularity in the nightclub scene, at “raves” (all-night dance parties), and music festivals or concerts.MDMA’s effects generally last from 3 to 6 hours.

MDMA is a Schedule I substance, which means that the U.S. Government has determined that it has no medical benefit and a high potential for abuse.

How MDMA (Ecstasy/Molly) is Used

Most people who use MDMA take it in a pill, tablet, or capsule. The pills can be different colors and sometimes have cartoon-like images on them. Some people take more than one pill at a time, called “bumping.” The popular term “Molly” (slang for molecular) refers to thepure crystalline powder form of MDMA, usually sold in capsules. But this is mostly a marketing gimmick—testing on "Molly" seized by police shows a variety of other ingredients.

In fact, researchers and law enforcement have found that much of the Ecstasy sold today contains other harmful and possibly deadly drugs in addition to MDMA. In some recent cases, drugs sold as MDMA actually contain no MDMA at all. Frequently, MDMA is mixed with or replaced bysynthetic cathinones, the chemicals in “bath salts”. Some MDMA pills, tablets, and capsules have also been found to contain caffeine, dextromethorphan (found in some cough syrups), amphetamines, PCP, or cocaine.

In Conclusion: As New York State PTA continues to speak to our legislators about this very important issue, as well as other issues, it is my hope that local PTAs and communities will continue to have these extremely important conversations so as to save lives.