For Young People
Young people make a better Vermont. They enrich our communities, are eager to be engaged, and they have a right to be heard and have access to good information to help with making choices about how they want to live their lives.
We also know that substance use before the brain is fully developed (around 25 years old) is much more likely to have negative and lasting consequences. Young people who use substances are more likely to be involved with violent crimes, assaults, car crashes and fatalities, falls, drowning, and other intentional or unintentional forms of harm. Use also increases their risk for other long-term mental and physical health impacts.
Research shows that 90% of the people who develop a substance use disorder started using before the age of 18. The key is to delay, delay, delay. Every year that substance use is delayed while the brain is still developing, the risk for addiction and substance use problems decrease.
Below we’ve compiled a list of websites made just for young people to give you the facts and tools to make your own healthy decisions. We also provide links to places to get involved in fighting against the forces fueling addiction and targeting young people with misinformation.
GENERAL
Behind The Haze information about vaping for the Vermont teen.
The Truth Campaign facts and videos to help teens make their own decisions in the face of addictive substances.
OutlastVT Instagram page with lots of great content about living substance free while your brain is developing.
Above the Influence this website is no longer being updated but still contains great tips, videos and tools to help you stay original and be yourself in the face of pressures to use substances.
BE A CHANGEMAKER
Students Against Destructive Decisions
GET HELP
Vermont Help Link offers confidential support and referrals to substance use related treatment, recovery, and other services.
First Call for Chittenden County is a call-in line with counselors that offers crisis intervention and assessment at 802-488-7777.
VT 2-1-1 offers live referral by phone and online to get connected to state and community services.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline - 1-800-273-TALK (8255) is available 24/7, through text or phone for emotional help.
My Life My Quit is a text-based free resource for Vermont teens to help with quitting smoking or vaping. Teens can text "Start My Quit" to 36072 or go to mylifemyquit.org to chat with an online coach.
This is Quitting is a free mobile program to help young people quit vaping. Teens and young adults can join by texting “DITCHVAPE” to 88709.
T-Break: Take a Cannabis Tolerance Break from UVM's Center for Health & Wellbeing
The Trevor Project 24/7 info & support for LGBTQ+ young people
Have a question?
Information is constantly advancing and as we continue to learn BPHC will update this page with new resources as needed. However, if you don’t find what you need, and live locally, reach out to us and we’ll try to connect you to the right information.