Congo cobalt: TikTokers quit vaping over mining concerns

Many e-cigarettes use lithium-ion batteries

Dozens of young adults on TikTok are vowing to throw out their e-cigarettes and quit vaping - but not for health reasons.

"In my effort to help [the Democratic Republic of] Congo, I'm quitting vaping," Micah Ndango, who has been vaping for five years, says in a video that has been viewed more than 15,000 times.

"My sister just took my last vape so I'll be documenting my vape-quitting process on here," the 21-year-old pledges.

DR Congo, a central African country, is the world's main source of cobalt, a key component of the lithium-ion batteries used in mobile phones, electric vehicles and many models of e-cigarette.

It is also home to more than 100 million people and currently faces what the UN says is one of the "largest humanitarian crises in the world".

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Youth Coalition

Movie Night

Our Youth Coalition had a movie night at Kids in Crisis to watch Screenagers: Under the influence and engaged in dialogue about how to address these concerns with youth. They then came up with questions to address during our panel discussion. Please see the link to the recording of the panel in the update below.

Legislative Forum

Lindsay Taylor our Youth Coalition Co-Chair presented her findings on THC and CBD infused seltzers at the Stamford/Greenwich Legislative forum.

Coalition Updates

click here for full handout

The Study Escape at The Greenwich Library

For the past several years (Pre-Covid), the Library has offered support to studying high schoolers, primarily in the form of extended hours of operation at the Library. This January 2024 they offered even more to studying students, including pizza, therapy dogs, a VR headset escape, and stress relief support from Greenwich Together.

Tiana Rosado (Kids in Crisis) and Alexa Gudelsky (Family Centers) guiding the youth through stress relieving activities such as the worry shredder.

Panel Discussion on Screenagers: Under the Influence

watch the recording here

On February 8th Greenwich Together hosted a, "Panel Discussion on Screenagers: Under the Influence" If you were unable to attend, wish to watch the presentation again or would like to share it with others, a recording is now available.

We are grateful to our guest speakers, Dr. Maggie Young, Chief Recovery Officer at Liberation Programs, Maxwell Fetterman, Dr.Alina Boie, Bilingual School Psychologist for GPS and Lindsay Taylor, GT Youth Coalition Co-Chair, for sharing their expertise and insights with us.

Upcoming Events

KNOW YOUR CHILD’S NEURO: POSITIVE EMPOWERMENT FOR ELEMENTARY PARENTS

FEBRUARY 27, 2024

DR. CRYSTAL COLLIER

Dr. Crystal Collier joins Operation Parent again to educate parents, clinicians, and educators on the principles of modifying behavior. In this webinar, Dr. Collier provides practical advice for nurturing optimal brain development and enhancing preventive skills in children from Kindergarten through 5th grade. The prevalence of high-risk behavior among kids is occurring at younger ages. Dr. Collier enables parents to be proactive, empowering them to prepare their children for potential exposure to social media, gaming, and substances. The session will address strategies for promoting positive behavior and reducing negative tendencies. Feel free to bring your questions!

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