All the presenters at the Substance Abuse Prevention Forum are shown here. Photo by Connie Voss

GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) – About 20 representatives from local substance abuse/addiction recovery programs and law enforcement agencies were at Gridley City Hall on April 29 to share ideas for reducing substance abuse in Gridley. 

City Councilmember J. Angel Calderon coordinated the event and provided translation when needed. 

One of the presenters was Norma Lacy, assistant director of Northern Valley Catholic Social Services, who discussed the importance of building strong parent/child relationships. 

“One of the biggest tools we have as parents, as caregivers, as caretakers, as supporters of family members, whether you’re an aunt, an uncle, a cousin, you can play that role by building a strong solid foundation through relationships,” Lacy said. “As we feed the self-esteem of children, they grow up to feel more supported, safer and to be able to deal with peer pressure. Children and youth crave that connection internally; self-esteem is formed in early childhood.”

The program went on with a presentation by Kitsana Silva, director of the “Si se Puede,” which translates to “Yes, you can,” a tobacco-prevention project. The group aims to promote tobacco-free lifestyles by educating citizens, local elected officials and law enforcement about the harmful effects of tobacco use, especially among Latino populations.  

In 2022, with the help of Si se Puede, Gridley passed a smoke-free city parks ordinance that included vaping and cannabis use.  The next goal is to help Gridley establish a tobacco retail license policy that reduces the sale of tobacco products and/or advertisements.

“The tobacco industry uses tactics that are intentionally designed to attract kids,” Silva said. “They use fun flavors, colorful packaging, candy-like names and slick devices. Ninety percent of adults who smoke daily started before the age of 18. According to the 2023 California Youth Tobacco Survey, 48.8% of students reported seeing vapes on their social media accounts. The tobacco industry’s marketing is very strategic; it wants to put the blame on parents.”

There are only two items in this picture that are not tobacco products. Can you find them? Photo by Kitsana Silva

Silva followed up by saying 12 tobacco stores are in Gridley and all the schools are within 1,000 feet of a tobacco store. Many of the devices are made to look like school supplies or candy, such as a JUUL Pod that closely resembles a flash drive. Chewing tobacco is often packaged to look like a chewing gum package. In addition, the popular flavored vapes produce better odors than cigarettes, smelling like mint, peaches or apples instead. This makes them easier to use in various settings, according to Silva.

“Butte County has the fourth highest tobacco use among minors in the entire state (of California) with over 33% of youth saying they have tried a tobacco product,” said Silva. “Many youths start to use tobacco products to cope with mental health issues, depression, anxiety or stress. Other factors include boredom, social activity to connect with peers or the lack of awareness of the health risks. Vaping is just as dangerous as smoking.”

Silva described signs of tobacco use to watch for can be anxiety, irritability, impulsiveness, extreme thirst, smoker’s cough, mood swings or unexplained fruity smells. 

To help users stop, Silva recommended being available for loved ones and making them feel heard and seen. Understand why they’re using and don’t pressure them to stop. Available resources for quitting include Kickitca.org, or Enloe Hospital’s Tobacco and Nicotine Treatment Prevention program.

Next on the program was Sonia Gonzales from the American Lung Association.

“Nicotine is the chemical in tobacco that makes it hard to quit. Nicotine produces pleasing effects in your brain but these effects are temporary. The more you smoke, the more nicotine you need to feel good,” Gonzales explained. “No matter how long you have smoked, stopping can improve your health.”

Councilmember Calderon interjected that each abused substance creates its own neuro receptor in the brain.

“So then the brain will crave the substance,” Calderon said.

Gonzales emphasized the harmful effects of second-hand smoke from smokers around you and third-hand smoke from “cancer-causing residues that stick deep into surfaces of your carpets, your walls, your furniture, anything that has been around a smoker.”

Those exposed to secondary or tertiary smoke can suffer the same problems as smokers: heart disease, lung cancer, stroke and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). About 35% of United States children are exposed to second-hand smoke. Pets are affected by secondary smoke as well, according to Gonzales.

“Cannabis smoke, vaping and even cooking drugs like methamphetamine also release harmful toxins that stay in surfaces long after use,” Gonzales said

More than 4,000 chemicals in tobacco products can also be found in anti-freeze, nail polish remover, paint, pesticides and fireworks, according to Gonzales.

“The pesticides that are sprayed on the tobacco are definitely part of the smoking damage to the lungs and your body in general,” said Calderon.

Most smokers who have quit report that it took at least six tries, according to the presentation. Most often, quitting is successful with additional help from a stop-smoking program.  Kickitca.org is free. The Lung Help line 1-800-LUNGUSA is also free and provides one-on-one coaching by trained professionals.   

Following Gonzales was McKenzie Harris, who provided opioid information. Opioids are meant to treat pain in hospitals and prescribed by doctors. Heroin, morphine, codeine, Vicodin, hydrocodone, and oxycodone are all opioids. 

The JUUL pod and chewing tobacco on the left are very similar to the flash drive and bubble gum on the right. Photo by Kitsana Silva

“Over 296 people die every day from opioid overdoses like Fentanyl. Twenty-one percent of 11th-graders in Buhave used prescription drugs recreationally,” said Harris.  

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid, meaning it is lab created, man-made or not naturally occurring. With no taste or smell, it is 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. A dose the size of three grains of salt can be fatal, according to Harris.  

Harris made it clear that prescription pain medications do not have to be finished and you can ask for a lower dosage or alternative medications. Avoid mixing opioids with other substances such as alcohol. 

Naloxone (also known as Narcan) can rapidly reverse an opioid overdose and is available at all pharmacies for about $45. Butte County Behavioral Health has it for free. Naloxone can be in the form of a nasal spray. The overdosed person still needs to go to the hospital, even when Naloxone is administered. 

For additional resources and to answer any questions, call Harris at 530-891-2891

Gridley Police Department Officer Jason Garringer spoke about the legal aspects of hard drugs, especially methamphetamine and fentanyl, which account for the majority of overdose deaths in Butte County. There were 110 overdose deaths in the county in 2024 and all were related to methamphetamine, fentanyl or a combination of both. Fifty-four of those cases were in Gridley, an 18% decrease from 2023, Garringer said.  

Increased penalties under recently-passed Proposition 36 include murder charges for drug dealers who supply fentanyl that causes death from an overdose, Garringer said. Possession of fentanyl with a firearm can result in up to four years in prison. 

The forum concluded with ideas from the Gridley Parks and Recreation Department staff outlining programs available to keep youth involved in healthy activities such as sports. Contact the department for more information at 530-846-5695.