The mix sending teens to the ER

Why Every Parent Should Know the Word “Crossfaded” 

It means drinking alcohol and using THC at the same time. Vape, edible, joint, gummy – any form of weed mixed with any form of alcohol. The CDC estimates about 18% of U.S. youth report being crossfaded. Summer is when the numbers spike.

Here’s what makes crossfading more dangerous than either substance alone:

• Alcohol increases how much THC the body absorbs. A small amount of weed hits harder and faster than usual.
• THC blunts the gag reflex. A teen who’s drinking too much can’t vomit, which means blood alcohol can climb to dangerous levels without warning.
• The combination causes “greening out” – sudden vomiting, panic, dizziness, racing heart, dissociation. ER visits tied to crossfading are climbing.
• Developing brains take more damage from polysubstance use than from either substance alone. Memory, impulse control, and decision-making are most affected.

Many teens think mixing is safer than hard drugs. The science says the opposite.  

Before any party, sleepover, or concert this summer, have one conversation. Tell your teen that mixing weed and alcohol is one of the top reasons teens land in the ER. If they ever feel sick or scared at a party, you’ll pick them up without consequences. 

QUICK TIPS

5 Drug Slang Terms Teens Use in 2026

1. Plug: A drug dealer. “I’ll text my plug” means a teen is reaching out to buy something.
2. Bars: Xanax or other benzodiazepines. Also called “Z-bars,” “Zanny,” “blues,” or “footballs.” Often counterfeit and laced with fentanyl.
3. Zaza: Can mean two different things. Sometimes high-grade marijuana. Sometimes tianeptine, the gas station drug from our last newsletter. 
4. Dexing: Misusing cough medicine (DXM, found in Robitussin and NyQuil) to get high. Risk of seizures, heart issues, and overdose.
5. Whippets: Inhaling nitrous oxide from small canisters used for whipped cream. Can cause oxygen deprivation, nerve damage, and brain injury.

TUNE INTO THE LATEST EPISODE:

Navigating Substance Abuse and Underage Drinking 

Captain Ed Kane has spent over 25 years with the Upper Saddle River Police Department, which means he’s watched our community shift through every wave of teen substance use. In this episode, Captain Kane sits down to talk about what underage drinking looks like in our quad district today, how parents’ attitudes have changed, and what marijuana legalization has done to the conversation. 

Listen to the episode →