THE RESOURCE - Jones County Safe and Healthy Youth Coalition

APRIL 2015
VOLUME 2, ISSUE 5
T H E
RESOU RC E
ENHANCING THE QUALIT Y
OF LIFE IN JONES COUNTY
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
-LEGISLATION &
2
MEDICATION
2
AWARENESS MONTH
STORY
Youth and Health Concerns
3
EVENTS
3
MARKETING UPDATES
4
COALITION INFO:
Alcohol and Tobacco teach us there is no money in this for
anyone other than Big Marijuana!
-APRIL IS ALCOHOL
SUCCESS
Money Makers or Dollar Drainers?
For every $1 gained from alcohol and tobacco tax revenues, $10 is lost in legal, health,
social, and regulatory costs (Project SAM).
-DAY ON THE HILL
-IOWA QUITLINE
HOW DOES THE MOVEMENT TOWARDS LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA AFFECT
IOWA?
Children use "available drugs"—legalize marijuana in any way-- it becomes more available.
Harmful effects of marijuana include anxiety/panic attacks, depression,
paranoia, psychosis, schizophrenia, cardiovascular distress, memory loss
and more.
PH: 319-462-5030
203 E MAIN ST.
ANAMOSA, IA 52205
JCSHYC EXECUTIVE
BOARD MEMBERS:
President
Sheriff Greg Graver
Vice President
Michael Elmore
Treasurer
Kelly Dodge
Secretary
Karmen Jamison
Can we trust companies and big corporations not to target youth and the vulnerable?
Persistent marijuana use during adolescence can cause a long-term 8-point drop in IQ,
& harm attention span & memory. 2012 NAS, Dunedin Study
*100 pt. IQ=Ave. college bound; 92 pt. IQ = NOT college bound.
Workplace Concerns
Nearly 60% of all positive Iowa workplace drug test results
indicated workers had used marijuana (IDPH, 2012).
Those testing positive for marijuana had 55% more accidents, 85% more injuries & 75%
more absenteeism. 2010-2011 National Institute on Drug Abuse, NIH, Research Report Series
Legal Concerns
Current marijuana laws to protect Iowans do not clog prisons. 0% of
state prisoners are serving sentences for first-time marijuana possession and 1.4% of people are in jail for offenses involving only marijuana-related crimes. (SAM, Seven Myths,
Reefer Sanity, Sabet)
Compiled by Iowa AC4C (Alliance of Coalitions for Change) 10-14
Past President
Keith Dirks
Member At-Large
Jen Armstrong
Coalition meetings are usually the second Wednesdays of the month at 11:30 a.m. at the
Coalition office, 203 E. Main, Anamosa. The next meetings are: April 8th & May 13th at the
Coalition office. June 10th will be in Monticello.
THE RESOURCE
Page 2
LEGISLATION & MEDICATION
QUITLINE IOWA
DAY ON THE HILL
ALCOHOL AWARENESS MONTH
This year marks the
29th anniversary of
NCADD’s Alcohol
Awareness Month.
Legislation & Medication
Is the FDA process overthrown by passing bills and
state initiatives that legalize
medical marijuana?
The US Office of National Drug Control
Policy (ONDC) says “yes”. Their statement includes, "Designating medicine
through ballot initiatives would undermine the long-established process which
ensures that substances provided to the
American public as medicines have undergone rigorous scientific scrutiny.”
ONDC believes, “This procedure protects
Americans from unproven, ineffective, or
dangerous treatments. Allowing a purported medication to circumvent federal
approval does a grave disservice to the
public, because the process guarantees
that drugs are safe and effective, that
the benefits outweigh risks, and that
physicians have had sufficient information to permit accurate prescription.”
ONDC concludes, “Making an exception
for marijuana would create a dangerous
precedent. Medicine must be based on
science rather than ideology. Misusing
ballot initiatives to exempt medications
from proper testing would also give a
sales advantage to anyone seeking to
market medical products without investing in the requisite scientific research."
Medical Marijuana
“prescriptions” are
not filled at a
pharmacy—rather
a dispensary.
Screenshot of Denver’s over 200 “Medical Marijuana” dispensaries—more than 3 times the
number of Starbucks and McDonald’s
combined!
Day on the Hill —Students from across
the state attended a youth training day
at the capitol in Des Moines on March
24th. Speakers shared their personal
stories of how marijuana addiction has
affected their own lives and the lives of
their loved ones. Students were able to
speak to legislators and educate them on
the youth substance abuse prevention
efforts happening across the state.
Over 100 participants attended Day on the Hill
Quitline Iowa will help
those who smoke save
time and money. Quitting
on your own is tough –
only about 4% to 7% of
people are able to quit
smoking on any given
attempt without medicines or other
help, according to the American Cancer
Society. Fortunately, you don’t have to
quit by yourself with free services and
support available from Quitline Iowa. A
Quit Coach with Quitline Iowa will create
a plan to help you quit successfully and
provide eligible participants access to
free Nicotine Replacement Therapies
(e.g. nicotine patches, gum). You can
start Quitline services today by visiting
https://www.quitnow.net/iowa/ or
calling 1-800 Quit Now.
Beer Tax Did you know?
Since 1986 beer tax has
remained at only 19
cents per gallon, that’s about 2 cents per
drink. For every $1 generated in alcohol
sales—$16 is spent on problematic drinking. This figure is not keeping up with inflation. Just like the cost of living has increased in the past 3 decades so too has
the expenses of alcohol prevention and
treatment programming.
New TIPS trainer Congratulations to Anamosa PD Officer, Adam Herrig for becoming a Certified “Training for Intervention
Procedures” (TIPS) Facilitator!
Upcoming FREE TIPS sessions
Off Premise: April 7th @5:30 PM
On Premise: April 30th @ 5:30 PM
Held at the Coalition Office (203 E Main,
Anamosa) Call 319-462-5030 to register
New Social
Host Signs are
staying in
theme with the
“Near peer”
campaign,
“Alcohol for
teens? I don’t
buy it”. The yard signs will be reappearing
this Spring—just in time for prom &
graduation season.
SPF SIG funding has ended but the work
of the coalition to address underage and
adult binge drinking will continue.
See the success story on the next page.
VOLUME 2, ISSUE 4
Page 3
Small County’s Big Problem Leads to Large Impact
A 577 square mile radius in a Northeast region of Iowa is where you will discover beautiful
landscapes of rolling hills called Jones County. In 2011, the small county’s twenty thousand
residents were faced with a big problem. Its high adult binge drinking rates had placed the
county second out of 99 counties across the state. At the time this ranking was announced,
Jones County had already established a drug-free community coalition, the Jones County Safe
and Health Youth Coalition. This group consisted of concerned citizens, focused on the negative impact substance use and abuse has on the health and wellness of its residents. Many
community members were already aware of the issues surrounding underage drinking in the county and the impact
on youth. But many did not realize the extent of the adult binge drinking problem.
The Jones County Safe and Healthy Youth Coalition sprang to action in addressing the county’s adult binge drinking
problem. The introduction of the Jones County Strategic Prevention Framework State Incentive Grant (SPF SIG) Project allowed the Coalition to be guided with the appropriate next steps. Support from key stakeholders throughout
the county ensured the right people were at the table when discussing and implementing solutions to the big problem. A particularly helpful partnership in tackling the high rates of adult binge drinking was with local law enforcement and the implementation and enforcement of effective alcohol policies.
Jones County Sheriff and Jones County Safe and Healthy Youth Coalition President, Greg Graver feels having the responsible beverage server training institutionalized at a local level would have significant impact
on the public safety of the community. Graver continued to express his own personal perspective on the importance that all employees are adequately trained to not over-serve their patrons
and help keep the community safer and reduce the incidences of drunk driving..
The small county has seen big changes during the short time SPF SIG project has been implemented. In three years, the county has passed two ordinances to help reduce problem drinking
and keep the community safer with the underage consumption ordinance in 2013 and the mandatory alcohol compliance training ordinance in 2014. During the past few years, Jones County
has witnessed the passage of the Social Host state law that the county had already had in place
and supported for several years prior. Jones County is a prime example of how a little community with a lot of determination and compassion can make a large impact.
Spaghetti Dinner Coalition Fundraiser
Date: Wednesday, June 3rd 2015
Time: 5-7PM
Location: Youth Development Center, Monticello
You can buy your tickets in advance or at the door! Call 462-5030
Special Thank You to Black Hills Energy & Culligan Total Water
Have an upcoming event?
We’d like to help get people
Get Oriented
Attend an orientation event
to attend! Share your local
to learn more about the
family-friendly event with
work of the JCSHCY!
us and we will promote in
on the Jones County Coalition Facebook page.
Stay Informed
Subscribe to our email
newsletter
Jones County Safe and Healthy Youth Coalition Mission Statement:
Visit our webpage at
www.jonescountycoalition.org
RX Drug Toolkits
Engaging our communities in efforts to create and
maintain a safe and healthy environment for youth and adults in
Jones County
One-thousand prescription drug
toolkits are being assembled for
distribution to Jones County medical clinics and the community
abroad.
The toolkit includes a sealable
plastic bag with enclosed information on where and how to
properly dispose of your medications. Also, there is informational
materials on RX drug abuse.
Secure your meds
The next time you’re
shopping at your local
pharmacy look for RX
drug lock boxes &
bags. These items will
help keep your meds in
safe & secure and out
of the wrong hands.
Youth Advocacy: What is a Venturing Crew?
The Boy Scouts of America support chartering agencies
who would like to host a Venturing Crew—Forming a co-ed
Venturing Crew provides organizational structure , activity
opportunities, and a sustainable plan to keep youth advocacy work going strong. BEASTS is starting their own Venturing Crew and could use your support!
Adventure, Leadership, Personal Growth, and Service
How can you help? If your passion is with mentoring youth through
developing leadership and positive skill-building then being a Venturing
Advocate may be for you. The Coalition is looking for dedicated adult
volunteers to help develop and expand the BEASTS Venturing Crew.
Learn more by emailing: [email protected]
My name is Greg Graver. I am a lifelong resident of Jones County. After
graduating from Anamosa, I became an EMT and then Paramedic. In
1995 I became a Jones County Deputy Sheriff. My wife, Dawn is a
Monticello Police Sergeant. We have three children, Elle, Jaelyn, and
Reeve who attend the Monticello School.
I was elected Sheriff in a special election in 2011. I was 1st invited and
The Jones County Safe and
Healthy Youth Coalition
Spotlight is shining on...
introduced to the coalition as a candidate for Sheriff. After attending
my 1st meeting I became a regular attendee. I really felt like bringing
law enforcement prospective to the table was important. Law enforcement is on the front lines of seeing and experiencing good and bad
trends going on in our schools and communities. I believed bringing
that insight into a group focusing on prevention was useful and important.
This year I am serving as President of the Coalition. I also sit on the
Executive Committee and Policy Committee. Whether acting as an
EMT, Paramedic, or Police Officer, serving the citizens of Jones County
has always been a priority and passion of mine. I have found the Coalition is another outlet to help make positive change. JCSHYC is a very
unique and important organization. It brings together students, parents, grandparents, school officials, working professionals, healthcare
providers, and law enforcement officers with a common goal of creating a heathier environment for the citizens of our county.
Sheriff Greg Graver