Author Archives: TCYSAPC

About TCYSAPC

Travis County Youth Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition

What You Aren’t Hearing About Marijuana’s Health Effects – psychobiology professor explains to the Wall Street Journal

Legalized Recreational Marijuana Use in Maryland (FS-2023-0670) | University of Maryland ExtensionYoung people who smoked marijuana in the 1960s were seen as part of the counterculture. Now the cannabis culture is mainstream. A 2022 MonitoringTheFuture survey sponsored by NIH found that 28% of Americans age 19-30 had used marijuana in the preceding 30 days—more than three times as many as smoked … Continue to full story .......

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Health Impacts of Caffeine Overuse in Youth — A dose of caution and moderation of caffeine intake

The Dangers Energy Drinks Pose to Your TeenIn September 2022, a college student named Sarah Katz died after drinking a highly caffeinated beverage, Charged Lemonade.   Many teens unknowingly exceed the recommended daily limit for caffeine use; caffeine overuse becomes riskier when youth have certain health conditions; and managing excessive use requires identifying and addressing reasons for use,

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Travis County has seen a surge of fentanyl overdoses – A new report shows it’s not slowing down

Fentanyl-related overdoses continue to be the leading cause of accidental overdose deaths in Travis County, according to a new report from the Travis County Medical Examiner’s Office.  In 2023, 279 people died from a fentanyl-related overdose – up from 245 the year before. That’s about a 14 percent increase.

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Texas leaders zero-in on exploding hemp market

Thousands of hemp dispensaries have sprung up in Texas in the years since consumable hemp became legal.
Owner Shayda Torabi, poses for a photo inside of Restart CBD on Thursday, May 9, 2024 in Austin. Torabi, along with her two sisters, become curious about the properties of the plant after Torabi had an accident and started using CBD as a solution to manage her pain.

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As Washington considers reclassifying pot – Daily marijuana use surpasses daily drinking in US, study finds

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Fentanyl is fueling a record number of youth deaths a trend shocking many pediatricians who are unprepared to provide counseling on opioid addiction

Fentanyl, a pervasive killer in America’s illicit drug supply, is increasingly landing in the hands of teens across the region and nation, worrying providers who say treatment options for youths are limited. Across the country, fentanyl has largely fueled a more than doubling of overdose deaths among children

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“Spencer! Spencer! Spencer! Wake up!”  He didn’t. FENTANYL TOLL IN TRAVIS COUNTY .

FENTANYL POISONING: Spencer Wheeler's StoryMay 19, 2024 —  Austin American-Statesman  — Lisa Wheeler struggled to sleep. She tossed and turned and finally woke up at about 8 a.m. on Sept. 15, 2022. Following her normal routine, she went upstairs to wake her 17-year-old son, Spencer.  She opened the door and saw him lying in Continue to full story .......

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How to get Naloxone and training

At Naloxone Texas, we distribute life-saving naloxone and evidence-based training to organizations and individuals across Texas. Naloxone Distribution: Fast and Free –
For Organizations: Get Naloxone 
For Individuals: Get Naloxone 
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In a scenario involving opioid overdose, every second counts. Our program strives to

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Travis County is shifting focus to prevent overdose deaths as fentanyl ravages the area

An Austin-Travis County EMS vehicle parked outside of St. Davidís North Austin Medical Center on July 7, 2020.

When Travis County Judge Andy Brown got a phone call two weeks ago about a rash of overdoses that claimed at least eight lives in Austin over a span of 27 hours, he knew the dark day he had been preparing for had arrived.  When the dust settled, the number

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Austin opioid crisis: Over 7000 narcan kits to be distributed across Travis County

Congress man Lloyd Doggett secured $2 million in appropriated federal funding.  Part of the $2 million will go toward the purchase and local distribution of 7,500 Narcan kits, equal to 15,000 individual doses, along with the expansion of various outreach and educational programs.  It came on the heels of a … Continue to full story .......

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Documents, interviews show how agencies responded to April 29th rash of deadly overdoses in Austin

The rush of 911 calls from downtown AustinHow to Use Narcan to Reverse an Opioid Overdose was the first clue about the wave of overdoses to come.  At least 10 EMS units were sent to an alley near a nightclub on East Seventh Street and began treating people for overdoses after 9:30 a.m. Monday, April 29. One man … Continue to full story .......

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Why deaths related to Austin’s ‘overdose outbreak’ may not be ruled an overdose; Texas law will allow authorities to pursue murder charges

Austin-Travis County EMS (ACTEMS) has seen nearly 80 overdoses since Monday linked to multiple drugs like Xanax, K2 and crack cocaine. However, medics believe the “deadly batch” of narcotics in Austin is laced with fentanyl. Under House Bill 6, which became law in 2023, any death in Texas linked

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