Marin’s New Numb or Nourish Campaign Promotes
Healthy Decision Making Skills Grounded in Science
LARKSPUR, CA, June, 6 2022 – Marin Healthy Youth Partnerships (MHYP) is launching Numb or Nourish, a community-focused campaign with the goal to increase awareness and skills for healthy, conscious decisions around substance use. The Numb or Nourish three-step process helps individuals build knowledge and develop skills to make conscious substance use decisions grounded in science.
For the campaign, MHYP collaborated with Marin County Office of Education (MCOE) and Marin Prevention Network (MPN), who share a goal of creating healthy environments for youth and families. The collaborative hopes to change Marin’s social norms around substance use.
While the April 2022 County Health Rankings and Roadmap reports Marin as one of California’s healthiest counties, it also reports that 21% of Marin adults binge or heavily drink, compared to the statewide average of 19%. Peer reviewed medical research finds that parental substance use “is moderately to strongly related to use by their children,” which could be true in Marin where youth substance use rates are very high.
The California Healthy Kids Survey reports that Marin 11th graders' past 30-day use of e-cigarettes is nearly triple the state average (28% vs 10%) and their rate of binge drinking is double the state average (25% vs 12%). Marin 11th graders’ past 30-day cannabis use rate is the highest in California at 32% vs 17%.
“Numb or Nourish strategies provide an opportunity to learn about and practice a skill that can support health and wellbeing for a lifetime,” says Kathy Koblick, Public Health Division Director at Marin Health & Human Services. “Learning how to create space and reflect before taking action is a gift that adults can model for youth. This can really help change the direction that is taken and ultimately lead to better choices that support health and happiness.”
“The campaign prompts us to evaluate each choice and ask ourselves ‘Is this numbing or nourishing?” says, Alexa Davidson of West Marin Coalition for Healthy Youth. “It does not judge behaviors but rather encourages intention-based decisions. Through adult modeling, the campaign builds upon substance use prevention efforts across the county.”
About Numb or Nourish
The Numb of Nourish campaign was initiated in a meeting with Jessica Colvin, Wellness Director for the Tamalpais Union High School District and Founder of SWELL.
“I have been practicing the Numb or Nourish method by regularly asking myself, ‘Will this decision numb or nourish me?’” explained Colvin. “I shared this strategy at a MHYP meeting and it inspired members to create a community wide campaign. My hope is that these concepts help the adults in our community make and model healthy decisions and that our young people will learn to do the same.”
Numb or Nourish is a three-step decision making process of Pause, Reflect and Decide. The first step, Pause, encourages a break of thought to “interrupt mindless activity” related to substance use or other behaviors. During step two, Reflect, individuals consider options and outcomes based on values, goals, facts and feelings. The final step, Decide, is the act of making a conscious decision after thoughtful reflection.
The focus of the campaign is not to eliminate substance use but to enable individuals to consider alternative conscious choices. Sayra Soriano, Youth Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Educator says, “Nicotine addiction is extremely difficult to overcome, but the tools that Numb or Nourish provides can help individuals focus on their motivation for quitting - or not starting.”
About Marin Healthy Youth Partnership
MHYP’s mission is to reshape community norms that drive youth substance use. Numb or Nourish is one of several community prevention efforts that incorporate countywide collaborations. Additional community prevention efforts include Let’s Talk, a booklet that educates parents about youth substance use, and Raising the Bar, Keep Youth Events Substance Free, a campaign about shifting the social norms around youth-centered event environments.
Contact:
Kelsey Fernandez, Executive Director
Marin Healthy Youth Partnerships
kelsey@mhyp.org
415-250-7599
