LPKNC

asking for help isn't weak. it might be the strongest text you send all month. you don't need perfect words. "not doing great, can we talk" is enough.

Resource: Teen Lifeline, call or text 520-327-8336. Or call or text 988.

May was Mental Health Awareness Month, but we don't need to leave behind the lessons moving into June. So what can you do?

• Get outside for ten minutes of daylight.
• Charge your phone in another room at night.
• Sleep before midnight when you can.
• Text one person you trust when you are not okay.

You can also contact 988 for free, 24/7, by call or text.

Sources: Mental Health America, mhanational.org; 988lifeline.org

South Tucson parents, your voice matters more than you think. Kids whose parents talk to them honestly about alcohol are less likely to drink.

The 2024 Arizona Youth Survey shows underage drinking is still happening across Pima County, even as numbers slowly trend down. Start the conversation before high school and keep having it.

They are listening even when they roll their eyes.🙄

Sources: SAMHSA Talk. They Hear You., samhsa.gov; 2024 Arizona Youth Survey, acjc.az.gov

Recreational ma*****na is legal in Arizona at 21. Safe at 16 is a different question.

Regular use during the teen years is linked to lower learning and memory performance, and a higher risk of dependence in adulthood. The same conversation you have about alcohol applies here. Same brain, same stakes.

Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse, nida.nih.gov