The Leeward Initiative

09/29/2026

A month of awareness, remembrance, recovery, and hope. 💜As September comes to a close and we wrap up National Recovery Month, we’re taking a moment to look back and say THANK YOU to everyone who helped make our first International Overdose Awareness Day event on August 31 such a meaningful part of the work we do at the Leeward initiative.

While International Overdose Awareness Day has passed, the message behind the day continues far beyond August. We gathered to remember those we have lost, recognize those with lived and living experience, connect our community with local resources, and remind one another that prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery all have a place in our community.

Our first event may have been a small beginning, but it was an important step in continuing the conversation, and The Leeward Initiative Coalition is excited to keep that conversation going.

A special thank you to all of our community partners, speakers, volunteers, Coalition members, and everyone who came out to share, listen, learn, remember, and support one another. We were reminded that meaningful change happens when our community works together! 

COVE (Communities Overcoming Violent Encounters)
West Michigan Community Mental Health System
The HOPE Project
Staircase Youth Services Mason County
District Health Department #10

09/22/2026

Great info!

PARENTS - PLEASE TAKE TIME TO LOOK THROUGH THIS INFORMATION. (This is all available at numerous stores in Oceana County.)

There is a product on local shelves that acts like an opioid, and Michigan has no age limit on it

You may have seen products labeled 7-OH, short for 7-hydroxymitragynine, in gas stations, smoke shops and convenience stores. They are sold as tablets, gummies, shots and flavored drink mixes, usually for about $4 a serving.

Here is what most people do not realize. 7-OH is not the same as kratom leaf. It is one alkaloid from the kratom plant, concentrated far above what occurs in the plant itself, and it acts on the same receptors in the brain that opioids act on. People who take it daily can become dependent, and many do not understand what they have been taking until they try to stop.

Michigan currently has no law restricting these products. No minimum age, and no limit on how concentrated they can be. A bill to ban their sale passed the Michigan House in March and has not become law.

The packaging does not look like a drug. It looks like an energy or focus supplement, and the name 7-OH or 7-hydroxymitragynine often appears only in the ingredient list.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration describes these as novel potent opioid products that have not been proven safe for any use, and lists dependence, withdrawal, insomnia and seizures among reported effects.

Parents, it is worth knowing what the packaging looks like.

A full guide covering what 7-OH is, how it is sold, and what dependence and withdrawal look like is in the comments.

09/02/2026

💜 We want to hear from you!

We’d love your feedback on the topic of substance use and prevention in our community.

The first few questions are about the recent event, but you can still complete the survey even if you weren’t able to attend! The last few questions are about your general thoughts, knowledge, and feedback on the topic.

📲 Scan the QR code or use the link below to share your thoughts:

https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/mmXzr3HdSj

Thank you for taking a few minutes to help us better understand our community and plan future education and prevention efforts!

09/02/2026

Thank you to the Ludington Daily News for the coverage!!

LUDINGTON — From powerful testimonies of overcoming addiction and loved ones remembering those they lost to information about how people can get the help and resources they need, the message

08/31/2026

We are so happy to be hosting our own event today!!

Today on International Overdose Awareness Day, we stand together across the globe declaring it's time for change. We are showing up, speaking up, and saying loudly - let's end overdose! 💜

08/21/2026

Monday August 31st from 4:00pm-6:00pm at Waterfront Park, stop by our event in honor of International Overdose Awareness Day to hear some great speakers, discover resources around your community, and expand your knowledge in overdose awareness, prevention, and recovery work. Find the event on our page!
Hope to see you all there!

08/11/2026

Come visit us at the Fair this week!

07/21/2026

Join us on July 22 at the Ludington Area Jaycees' for a free mini golf event for students! ⛳Open to Mason and Ocean County children ages 4-15

For more information contact 231.845.5455.

05/06/2026

May is National Mental Health Awareness Month.
Thank you to our coalition member John, who makes sure that Mental Health is prioritized in our youth. John, a mental health advocate at one of our wellness centers, hosted a Lunch and Learn with high school students where they could build their own succulent and decorate their terracotta pot.
To learn more about mental health, visit: https://www.mentalhealthishealth.us/

05/01/2026

May is National Mental Health Awareness Month,
We partnered with a local school to ask the students to "plant a positive thought" by either writing a piece of advice, a coping skill when it comes to stress, or even just a fun activity they were looking forward too.