MI Health Comms is designed to respond to trending health narratives across the state. In addition to ongoing media monitoring, our community insights form gives us your perspective about the most pressing issues.
When you hear questions about Narcan, false claims about measles, or concerns about STI testing, we want to know. Your insights help us make resources that respond to the moment. Share what you’ve heard recently, or bookmark this page for later—it’s always open.
June is Gun Violence Awareness Month. Share our free content on secure storage and resources for kids and parents to get the word out about simple ways to prevent gun violence. Plus, help Michigan residents find free gun locks through the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services’s new gun lock distribution map.
Scroll down for insights and shareable content covering:
Gun violence: News stories about an unsecured weapon and child deaths drove conversation.
Mental health: A new survey from the Trevor Project and Pride Month sparked dialogue about LGBTQ+ youth mental health.
Substance use: Michigan schools warned parents about kratom, raising questions about why a so-called “natural” supplement can be dangerous.
Gun violence
Michigan news stories renew calls for secure gun storage
What’s happening:
In May, a handgun was found in a preschool student’s backpack and was later secured by police.
Several gun deaths also occurred in Michigan over the past month, including child deaths.
In response, many commenters expressed concern about children’s safety and called on parents to properly secure their firearms.
Helpful messaging to share right now:
Across the U.S., gun deaths rise in the summer, particularly among kids and teens. Properly securing firearms helps keep families and communities safer.
In Michigan, guns must be stored unloaded and locked with a locking device or in a locked container when children may be present in a home or vehicle.
Residents can request a free gun safety kit and trigger lock from Project ChildSafe. You can also find a free gun lock nearby using MDHHS’s map.
Pride Month and youth mental health survey spark discussions about LGBTQ+ mental health
What’s happening:
The Trevor Project recently released a national survey finding that 36 percent of LGBTQ+ people ages 13 to 24 seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year, including 40 percent of transgender and nonbinary people.
On June 2, Governor Gretchen Whitmer declared June as Pride Month in Michigan. The announcement highlighted legal protections for LGBTQ+ residents, including the state’s ban on conversion therapy for minors.
Both events led to a spike in conversation about LGBTQ+ mental health. While some social media users shared support and resources, others expressed stigmatizing attitudes toward LGBTQ+ people and repeated the persistent false claim that LGBTQ+ identities are mental health conditions.
Helpful messaging to share right now:
All major mental health organizations agree that LGBTQ+ identities are normal variations of human sexuality and gender. However, LGBTQ+ people may experience mental health challenges in response to discrimination and stigma.
Last month, the University of Michigan and Texas State University published new research showing that kratom use is increasing among young adults, with more than 100,000 children ages 12 to 17 saying they’d used kratom.
Since then, Michigan health departments and school districts have warned about kratom, which can have opioid-like effects. Many noted that kratom products may be sold as candy, gummies, or other forms that could appeal to children and teens.
In response, some Michigan social media users questioned whether kratom is dangerous and expressed confusion about 7-OH, a compound derived from the kratom plant. Others shared concerns about dependence and potential health problems, like liver damage.
Helpful messaging to share right now:
Kratom contains compounds that attach to the same brain receptors targeted by opioids. One of those compounds, called 7-OH, can be especially potent in synthetic forms and may increase the risk of substance use disorder.
Kratom is not FDA-approved for any medical use and has been linked to serious health risks, including confusion, seizures, and liver damage.
Just because kratom may be sold in gas stations, smoke shops, or other stores does not mean it is safe.
Talk to your children and teens about the risks of kratom use. Michigan families can find youth substance use prevention and treatment resources through MDHHS.
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