• Stanford Medicine Tobacco Prevention Toolkit

Whether you are parent, educator, or concerned citizen, Stanford Medicine’s collection of curriculums, lessons, programs, and resources on tobacco, vaping, smokeless tobacco, and hookah offers a variety of resources for teaching youth and preventing youth tobacco use. Visit the collection and find more information.

• E-Cigarettes: Facts, Stats, Regulations

The Truth Initiative is a public health nonprofit organization committed to preventing youth nicotine use and promoting quitting for all. Learn more about e-cigarettes health effects, industry targeting, and the effects of quitting.

• E-Cigarette Use Among Youth

The CDC presents the facts on the effects of e-cigarette use and prevalence of use among youth. Learn more about how and why youth use and how its affects them.

• Real Facts of Cigarettes

Giving you the most accurate, up-to-date information about the harmful effects of tobacco use, so you know the real cost of smoking, vaping, and other tobacco use. Learn more about the effect of cigarette use.

• Real Facts of Vapes

Giving you the most accurate, up-to-date information about the harmful effects of tobacco use, so you know the real cost of smoking, vaping, and other tobacco use. Learn more about the effect of vaping.

• Health Benefits of Quitting Tobacco

Quitting cigarette use is hard but you’re not alone. The benefits of quitting increase over time. Learn more about health benefits of quitting.

• What Are Zyns?

New “smokeless and spitless” nicotine pouches are beginning to gain popularity because of social media promotion. Here is what you need to know about these products and how harmful they are.

• Vaping Facts – Vape Free Maine

Get the facts and take control of your health. Don’t get side effected.

Smoking, vaping, and use of tobacco products is prohibited:

• At all town owned facilities and grounds, including school properties
• At or within 20 feet of all school bus stops
• At or within 20 feet, including sidewalks, of all parks and Parks and Recreation owned and operated facilities, including playgrounds, trails, athletic fields, boat launches, the town mall, and dog park
• On Maine Street, including the sidewalks and medians, from Bath Road to the Androscoggin River, from 7 AM to 7 PM, daily
• At or within 20 feet of all posted public bus and transit stops

Talking to your child about their mental health is important! Youth are sensitive to peer pressures, school stresses, and parental expectations. It is important to check in with your child and ask directly about how they are feeling.

• NAMI Maine has a team of mental health professionals, materials on mental health education, and resources to seek help.

If you are worried about your child’s mental health, learn about: Warning Signs & Symptoms

• OUT Maine provides programming and resources to create community, answer questions, and support for LGBTQ+ youth in Maine.

Learn more about events you can attend, free resources, and find local supports for you and your child: Programs & Resources for Parents

• MaineHealth’s Youth Peer Support Statewide Network is a free, open program for youth ages 14-26 with a self-reported history of mental health and/or substance use challenges run by staff with self-reported mental health struggles aimed at peer to peer support and programs for youth to build connections and support networks with one another.

Learn how to refer your child or become involved: Youth Peer Support Statewide Network

• Mental Health America is the nation’s leading national nonprofit dedicated to the promotion of mental health, well-being, and condition prevention.

Learn more about your mental health, helping loved ones, or accessing information for personal, academic, or professional purposes: Mental Health Learning Hub

If someone you love is struggling with thoughts of suicide, there are some important steps you can take to keep them safe until they’re feeling better. Make a plan based on the options below:

• SAFEST CHOICE: Temporarily remove firearms from your home to keep your loved ones safe until they are feeling better.
• Store all firearms in a locked safe, or use trigger locks. Remove access to combinations or keys.
• Make sure all firearms are unloaded. Store all ammunition safely in another location

• SAFEST CHOICE: Remove all medications from your home to keep your loved ones safe until they are feeling better.
• Store any medications in a locked box or cabinet. Be sure keys and combinations are in a secure location.
• Keep only small amounts of medications in your home. Talk to a pharmacist about what quantities of medication would be safest.

• SAFEST CHOICE: Until your loved one is feeling better, do not leave them alone. Make sure someone has “eyes on” them to ensure they are safe.
• Create a “safety plan” so your loved one knows how to get help at any time. Identify activities that help them feel better, and people they can reach out to for support.
• Make sure your loved one knows how to access the 24-hour Maine Crisis Line at 1-888-568-1112 (linked above).

Crisis Support

CALL 988 or TEXT/CALL 1-888-568-1112

For free and confidential support from trained crisis counselors for mental health-related distress. Available 24/7.

Peer Support Line

CALL 1-866-771-WARM (9276)

For free and confidential peer-to-peer support for adults. Available 24/7.

2-1-1 Maine

CALL 211

Dial 211, or visit 211maine.org to connect with a Maine specialist and find resources for mental health, financial support, healthcare and more. Available 24/7.

Teens to Trails

Teens to Trails works with schools to build meaningful relationships between students, caring adults and the natural world by sharing time together outdoors. Through Outdoor Clubs at local schools, Teens to Trails provides training, financial support, and reliable resources they need to start and sustain an exciting Outdoor Club at their school.

Find one near you or start your own!

BATH

• Bath Area YMCA

303 Centre St, Bath, ME 04530

• Midcoast Youth Center & Skate Park

4 Old Brunswick Rd, Bath, ME 04530

• McMann Athletic Complex

181 Congress Ave, Bath, ME 04530

BRUNSWICK

• Brunswick Landing YMCA

24 Venture Ave, Brunswick, ME 04011

• Coffin Pond Recreation Area

174 River Rd, Brunswick, ME 04011

• Mid Coast Center for Community Health & Wellness

South Entrance, 329 Maine St, Brunswick, ME 04011

• Brunswick Area Teen Center

35 Union St, Brunswick, ME 04011

TOPSHAM

• Foreside Recreation

86 Foreside Road, Topsham, ME 04086

• Topsham Public Library Eagle Path

25 Foreside Rd, Topsham, ME 04086

BOWDOINHAM

• Matthew Townsend Parker Memorial Skate Park

6 Main St, Bowdoinham, ME 04008

• Mid Coast Hunger Prevention

• Let’s Go!

Let’s Go! is a community engagement initiative working with communities to create environments that support healthy choices. They partner with schools, school nutrition programs, early care and education programs, and out-of-school programs to help create spaces where the healthy choice is the easy choice.

Find out if your child’s school or childcare program is a Let’s Go! partner.