Commercialized Marijuana
The lack of enforcement of marijuana-related business marketing is leading to state law violations and misleading messaging impacting youth and the general public. Click the image above to download our one-pager on this issue.
Alcopops
Product Placement of Alcopops near soft drinks, with nearly identical labeling, increases the acceptability of youth use of alcohol. It also creates a confusing message, which may cause an unsuspecting and busy parent/grandparent/caregiver to purchase it for minors.
Kratom
In the State of Illinois, it is legal to buy, sell and use kratom for persons 18 years of age and older. Two states bordering Illinois have banned the sale, possession, and use of kratom for all persons.
Due to the marketing of kratom that claims it is a nonaddictive alternative for opioids without risk, mothers do not know the potential risks if they use kratom.6 In a qualitative study of pregnant or parenting mothers with substance use disorder, mothers expressed their concern about the effects of substance use on their infant and were motived to discontinue use for the sake of their child(ren).
Prevention Works!
Children who first smoke marijuana under the age of 14 are more than five times as likely to abuse drugs as adults than those who first use marijuana at age 18. Fortunately, this outcome can be mitigated by preventing and increasing the age of initiation among youth. For this reason, prevention MUST be a critical component of national, state, and local drug strategies.