This poem was written by Karen Gonzalez, a student at CSU Channel Islands.

It’s really easy to get lost in the mist 

All the sweet flavors just come in a twist

Just to become popular 

It all becomes a blur

Needing to be accepted 

Not knowing that you’re being affected

Getting lost in the crowd 

Only exhaling clouds

“It’s not as bad as...

Information and resources from the National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI).

Without mental health we cannot be healthy. We all experience emotional ups and downs from time to time caused by events in our lives. Mental health conditions go beyond these emotional reactions to specific situations. They are medical conditions that cause changes in how we think and feel and in our mood.

The...

By Kirsten Weir, from the American Psychological Association’s Monitor on Psychology, Vol. 46 No. 10

More states are legalizing marijuana, but concerns remain about its long-term effects on the adolescent brain.

Marijuana is the most widely used illicit drug in the United States — but the term “illicit” may not apply much longer. Twenty-three states have legalized...

Information taken from CDC.gov

Every day, 29 people in the United States die in motor vehicle crashes that involve an alcohol-impaired driver. This is one death every 50 minutes. The annual cost of alcohol-related crashes totals more than $44 billion.

About one in three traffic deaths in the United States involve a driver with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08% or higher. Drivers with...

Underage and Binge Drinking in Ventura County

Underage drinking is when anyone under the minimum legal drinking age of 21 drinks alcohol. It is a risk to youth and a widespread public health problem.

• In Ventura County, 6% of 7th graders, 14% of 9th graders and 26% of 11th graders currently use alcohol.

• Lifetime alcohol use by ninth and eleventh graders has declined by 20 percentage points...

Are today’s teens and young adults at risk of developing depression and anxiety due to our constant use of technology, screen time, and social media? And does this impact their alcohol and drug use or abuse? How can parents encourage healthy use of technology and better coping mechanisms that will enhance teens’ mental health rather than create more problems for them in the future?

Someone in this country dies by suicide every 12 minutes, but suicide deaths are not inevitable. For every person who dies by suicide, 278 individuals think seriously about suicide but do not die. For some, the difference may be connecting with a compassionate, trained crisis center volunteer or staff member who is ready to help them when they need it most. In recognition of the need to provide...

This piece is by Isabel Mercado, a writer and a senior at Ventura High School.

I know my future because I know my history.

Ghetto Prison, we won’t stop until we are free

We will rise in the city of fallen angels 

If money is the root of all evil then greed is the seed

Private Prisons, this isn’t livin’

Perhaps we take because nobody is giving

America is a rich man’s...

Elizabeth D’Amico is a senior behavioral scientist at RAND and a licensed clinical psychologist. She is nationally known for her work on motivational interventions that help adolescents and young adults make healthier decisions, especially around alcohol and drug use. She leads a large and ongoing research project at RAND to examine substance use patterns among teens as they enter young...

Originally, the mission of Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) was to help young people say “No” to drinking and driving. Today, the mission has expanded. Students have told us that positive peer pressure, role modeling, and environmental strategies can prevent other destructive decisions and set a healthier, safer course for their lives. That is why SADD has become a...

The author of this post is going to be a junior in high school in Ventura County in the fall. 

Are you stressed or depressed? Stress and depression are very similar but they have different effects on the body.

Stress is good for you when it motivates you, but not when it wears you down. You can get stress from your job, school, and even at home when you are relaxing. Stress can affect your...

This article was written with information taken from the International Overdose Awareness Day website and Ventura County Responds.

In honor of International Overdose Awareness Day on August 31st, here’s some information and resources about the signs and statistics of overdose.

Drug overdose is the leading cause of unintentional injury death in the United States, causing more deaths than...