Learn More About Our Work to Educate on the Hazards of E-Cigarettes
West River Valley Thrives was featured on the front page of the award-winning community newspaper, The Commons, on October 17. Rolf Parker-Houghton and Oliva Moore, staff and student coop intern, provide insightful and thoughtful information and facts on the marketing...
Fall Newsletter 2018
Read our Fall 2018 newsletter to find out more about what we have been up to over the past three months, what we are currently doing, and what we have planned. We invite our community members to reach out to us with questions, comments, suggestions, and of course any...
National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day – Saturday, October 27
Mark Your Calendars! National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day is Saturday, October 27th! West River Valley Thrives invites community members to take advantage of Prescription Drug Take-Back Day. Take some time to clean out your medicine cabinets of all extra unused or...
Youth and the Impact of Vermont’s Marijuana Law
West River Valley Thrives in the news! Read our featured article in the October 10, 2018 edition of The Commons detailing the informative panel presentation and community discussion on Youth and the Impact of Vermont's Marijuana Law. Some of our presenters included...
From the Director: Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
Townshend, Vermont, October 4, 2018 Change is in the air – you can see it in the leaves, smell it in the air, and feel it in your bones as we start to pull out our sweaters and wool stockings. Despite how much I love the warmth and flowers of summer and how quickly...
3rd Annual Dash to the Dam 5K
The 3rd annual Dash to the Dam is coming soon! It is a costumed 5k run/walk this October 21st along the West River Trail in Townshend. Sign-in will be at the Townshend Dam Recreational Area (3845 VT-30, Townshend, VT 05353) and everyone will be bussed to the starting...
WRVT Coalition Meeting Minutes – June 27, 2018
In this third coalition meeting of 2018, Thrives hosted experts in the field of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), Tracy Binet-Perrin and Amy Goldberg, to help us better understand the cause-effect relationship between ACEs and how we interact with our communities,...
WRVT Coalition Meeting Minutes – May 16, 2018
West River Valley Thrives (WRVT) hosted eight coalition members representing as many sectors in our community to learn more about WRVT's work and brainstorm how we can all benefit from and support a common mission of creating healthier communities. Read the minutes by...
WRVT Coalition Open House – March 22, 2018
West River Valley Thrives announces its first coalition open house of 2018. Located at Leland & Gray Union Middle and High School, we cordially invite you to join staff, board members, volunteers, parents, students, town officials, practitioners, and community...
WRVT National Coalition Academy Capstone Presentation
From March through August 2018, West River Valley Thrive’s director and project coordinator attended the Community Anti-Drug Coalition of America’s National Coalition Academy in Baltimore, MD, to receive 96 contact hours of comprehensive training focused...
Mixed Messages Targeting Youth
You have surely heard of the term, “Mixed Messages”. Our understanding of a mixed message is when someone is giving off a certain feeling or vibe but their actions do not match those feelings or vibes. Someone might say they enjoy spending time with us but when we ask them for attention, they do not show up or give us what we need. Someone may devour a meal we make for them but then communicate that it was the worst meal of their life. We encounter mixed messages daily.
Sometimes, mixed messages are harder to notice than other times and those other times, they can be incredibly obvious. But, did you know there are mixed messages targeted to children? Alcohol and tobacco companies create specific mixed messages of their products, their advertisements, and their product locations within stores to lure youth in, promote their product and make them think that use of their products isn’t unhealthy for them.
Some examples of these types of mixed messages are the location of alcohol beverages in stores. Notice that oftentimes, there are alcoholic beverages directly next to non-alcoholic beverages such as iced tea that you might allow your child(ren) to have. Or how packaging on cases of beer or vape and tobacco products is colorful and eye-catching? This isn’t for you! This is for youth!
Tobacco and alcohol companies use these advertising tactics to attract youth. This is how they ensure future users of their products. They may associate their products with familiar items such as movies, cartoon characters, and celebrities or candy and snacks, making their brand appealing to youth and enticing them to try their products. These tactics reduce youths’ perception of harm when these types of products are directly marketed toward kids making the individual feel that the product must be fun and maybe even good for them.
When adult products are placed next to products that are for anyone to consume, it can be hard to recognize. Be sure to always check the labels on the product you are purchasing for your child(ren). For example, if you are buying an iced tea beverage, double check the can or bottle to make sure it does not state HARD or ALCOHOLIC. Sometimes, it can be hard to notice these details.
Below are some examples of mixed messages. It is important for adults to talk to the youth and young adults in their lives to help them recognize and understand that though the products may seem harmless and fun based on their appearance or placement in a store, they are not.