HACKENSACK—New and effective strategies to address two growing youth challenges—mental health and vaping—dominated the 28th annual countywide conference held by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Oct. 29 before over 400 educators, members of law enforcement and mental health professionals.
Both challenges received detailed attention from speakers at the Statewide Narcotics Action Plan (SNAP) conference, where Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella started off the four-plus-hour information-sharing session noting ongoing challenges include youth suicide.
He said Robert Anzilotti, BCPO’s chief of detectives, was one of the first to recognize an increase in youth mental health issues and suicide countywide.
He said in 2018, 10 Bergen County youths committed suicide, while nine youths died in 2017 and also in 2016 by suicide.
He said from 2007 to 2017, New Jersey saw a 58 percent rise in youth suicide in ages 10–18.
“This is simply unacceptable,” said Musella.
Musella credited the Safe Schools Task Force as “solution number one” for helping to solve the crisis of youth mental health and said its mental health committee has been a priority this year to develop “best practices for safe and healthy schools” countywide.
The BCPO-sponsored Safe Schools Task Force issued a first report in March 2019 and in January 2020 a follow-up report will be focused on improving mental health supports and interventions for youth, said Musella.
Two innovative programs
Two innovative mental health programs, including Fort Lee’s Teen Mental Health First Aid Program and Park Ridge’s efforts to address “bio-psycho-social needs of students” were discussed as examples of current efforts focused on mental health in schools.
Fort Lee Superintendent Kenneth Rota encouraged educators and law enforcement to continue connecting and collaborating on mental health issues. Rota said the district’s student assistance counselor helped initiate a pilot program called Teen Mental Health First Aid, a program first used in Australia.
Rota said the program encourages teens in 10th to 12th grades and “focuses on student-to-student interaction” and is based on the concept that students recognize risky behaviors in their friends and peers and should tell “a trusted adult” of such concerns early on.
He said Fort Lee is one of eight schools nationwide piloting the student mental health peer-to-peer effort.
Rota said of 25 high school students, statistics show one in five will experience mental health problems. He said “one of the most interesting factors” about mental health is most teenagers will not ask for help.
Youth surveys found 64 percent of at-risk teens in America will not ask for mental help such as counseling or therapy for problems, while Australian teens are more likely to reach out for help.
Rota said the program helps high school students learn the skills to help friends deal with a mental health challenge and also to help them to reach out to a trusted adult. He said these “life skills” will help teens better deal with emotional and mental health issues as adults.
Another part is to make students more aware of systems of support inside and outside of high school.
‘The simple things’
“Sometimes it’s the simple things that make a difference, giving the students a manual or a card with a number on it” that helps them access services or mental health options, said Rota.
He said the “first aid” program deals with mental health challenges arising from student diversity, addiction, stigma, violence, social media and trauma. Rota shared several videos of teens discussing thoughts and emotions when considering suicide. The videos are used to spark conversations with teens, he said. Following a video, a discussion is held with students by trained mental health professionals.
Rota said the program goals are to increase teens’ awareness of warning signs of mental health issues, help teens become more confident in approaching difficult topics with peers, and also help teens approach mental health issues with less emotional stress.
Rota said over 100 staff members have taken an 8-hour training course to conduct the student sessions. Training was given by the county Division of Mental Health, he said.
Park Ridge High School Student Assistance Counselor Andrew Yeager said he “wanted to see if I could scare you a little more” about what mental health challenges occur in school.
Yeager said his all-time favorite question asked of young adults who have caused trouble is “what were you thinking?” which is “after a child has done something profoundly stupid, dangerous or even uncharasteristic,” he said.
Yeager said the common teen response—made with a shrug—is generally “I don’t know.”
Yeager said often kids do uncharacteristic or bad behaviors because the dangers are overexaggerated by adults but also because kids consider “the payoff” for the bad behavior more motivating than the punishment.
He said payoff could include increased social status, popularity, or inclusion as reasons possibly motivating bad behaviors.
He said studies show most kids will frequently do something without thinking if it increases popularity or social status.
Teens’ ‘two brains’
He said young adults often have “two brains” which include a “Classroom brain” and a “Heat of the Moment brain.” He said kids can tell you the downsides of bullying, vaping or unprotected sex on one level, but also will look at the “payoff” for saying or doing something inappropriate or wrong.
He listed 20 “basic fundamental needs and goals” for bad decisions or behaviors made by young adults. Some include attention, status, reputation, impulsivity, jealousy, and revenge as possible goals.
“This is essentially the human condition, but essentially the teen condition. And we have to remember that whatever the unhealthy behaviors is, these are the same motives that drive that behavior,” said Yeager.
He said parents need to tell teens why they may make a bad decision with their “Heat of the Moment” brain, and help teens “think it through” to understand what motivated them to make a bad decision, he said.
He also said parents need to ask “what are you going to do and what are your options” to help teens think on their own about a problem troubling them or a bad behavior.
Yeager said parents need to act as teens’ frontal lobes before they fully develop, including helping to regulate emotions, calming them, setting rules, structure and boundaries, and helping teens through difficult emotional periods.
He said that the “number one mental health professional in schools…is not a mandated position,” he said, referring to student assistance coordinators. “I think that’s criminal,” he said, noting a full-time coordinator is needed in all schools.
Vaping dangers
David Nash, an attorney and Legal One director, said teen vaping among high school students has increased 78 percent and 40 percent among middle school students. He said studies show 63 percent of young adults (15-24) did not realize Juul e-cigarette cartridge pods contain nicotine.
He noted that in December 2018, Juul controlled 80 percent of the vaping products market. “Make no mistake about it that the manufacturers in this industry are targeting our children,” he said, noting all the flavors targeted at young adults.
Recently, federal and state efforts to ban or restrict sales of flavored vaping products have been initiated, and Juul has voluntarily made efforts to limit sales of flavored vaping pods, except for menthol and tobacco flavors.
Nash said federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data show 1,500 cases of vaping-related illness in 49 states, with 30 deaths nationwide, including one New Jersey victim.
He said THC or cannabis-infused vaping oils—that contain marijuana’s psychoactive component which produces a “high”—have been linked to vaping illnesses though a definitive cause has not been identified.
Nash said 41 percent of teens have had “adverse childhood experiences” which makes them five to seven times more likely to use illicit drugs.
He said these “adverse” experiences include abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction. He said adverse childhood experiences “are the greatest predictor” of what teens may eventually use drugs or start vaping.
Nash provided key legal requirements for a model school vaping policy and said the state Department of Education issued such a policy on its website in July.
He said he hoped DOE would re-issue the policy during the school year to further promote an effective vaping policy.
Vaping marijuana oil
Sgt. Michael Klumpp, of BCPO’s Narcotics Task Force, said the THC oil contained in vaping pods does not smell like traditional marijuana.
He said when BCPO has seized THC cartridges (also called hash oil cartridges) they often seize THC-infused edibles.
He said THC vaping oils are very thick and honey-brown in color, differentiating them from normal vaping cartridges or pods. He said THC cartridges arrive in New Jersey via legal sales in states where legalized marijuana is sold.
Moreover, other sources include “black market” sales, from “knock offs” often made by overseas manufacturers and shipped to the United States, plus unknown suppliers via online and social media sites.
He said buyers cannot and do not know what ingredients, some potentially harmful or deadly, may be in THC vaping cartridges or pods purchased illegally or via online sales.
“The internet is the driving force behind these sales,” said Klumpp. “The users want it and the internet is their supplier,” he said.
“Anyone that has access to a smart phone or a computer can get their hands on these things. There are countless websites, there are countless social media pages, there are online vendors through Craigslist…that make it harder for us to get a handle on it because it’s so accessible,” Klumpp noted.
THC edibles & ‘pre-rolls’
He said authorities are “seeing a huge influx” in THC products—including edibles and ‘pre-rolls’—from states where cannabis is legal.
He said pre-rolls are marijuana cigars and cigarettes rolled with marijuana or infused with hash oil and sold in glass tubes. “We’re seeing a lot of these things being introduced to the area, even more so are the edibles,” he added.
He said common THC-infused edibles include Gummi Bears, Sour Patch Kids, and chocolate bars.
No marijuana products are available legally in New Jersey except for medical marijuana, which is only available from one of seven medical cannabis dispensaries statewide with a doctor’s prescription.
A legislative effort to legalize adult-use marijuana failed in March and legislators were holding out hope to introduce legislation in lame-duck session following the Nov. 5 elections.
Senate President Steve Sweeney previously said a referendum was likely in November 2020 to allow New Jersey voters to decide on legalizing marijuana statewide.
‘Huge amounts’ of edibles
“Anything you see in your convenience store, candy-wise, they’re selling it with THC in it,” said Klumpp.
He said with ingested marijuana, there is a “delayed effect” between consumption and getting high, which may lead users to over-consume such products.
He said BCPO officers are finding “huge amounts” of edibles weekly whenever THC vapor cartridges are seized.
Other speakers provided updates on task force mental health efforts and a canine response team for mental health crises at schools.
Attendees received a flash drive featuring some speaker presentations and available resources for mental health and vaping education.