Pubdate: Mon, 13 Aug 2012
Source: Lee's Summit Journal (MO)
Contact: http://www.lsjournal.com/aboutus/lettertoeditor/
Copyright: 2012 Lee's Summit Journal
Website: http://www.lsjournal.com/home/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/5368
Author: Toriano Porter

TEEN SUMMIT

Lee's Summit Students, Business Leaders Convened for a Talk on Marijuana Use

The goal was to simply open dialogue between business leaders in the 
community and area teenagers.

A summit sponsored by Community of Character Business Sector and 
Lee's Summit Cares to address marijuana use among teens resulted in 
both sides coming away with a better understanding of what goes into 
the thinking process of those who choose to be under the influence.

"It's not as simple as you're going to blow through (marijuana) and 
it's going to be OK," said Charlie Johnson, a Lee's Summit 
businessman. "It leads to other things."

Johnson was among a throng of business leaders in attendance in a 
town hall-type setting Aug. 8 at Paradise Park to discuss what he 
said may be a growing issue among young people in the city.

"There's a common thought that Lee's Summit has a problem with 
drugs," Johnson said. "Which we probably do, but I don't think it's 
near as bad. This panel made me feel a little more comfortable 
knowing that there are good kids out there capable of making good 
decisions and that was what was impressive to me."

Members of the Lee's Summit business community were joined by a group 
of nearly two dozen area students who gave thoughtful and forthright 
answers posed to them by adults in the room.

Kennedy Smith, a sophomore-to-be at Lee's Summit North High School, 
said the summit was the perfect opportunity for teens to unleash 
their thoughts and feelings and for adults to listen to their concerns.

"I thought it was very effective," Smith said. "At least I hope it 
was. Most of the kids on the panel we don't necessarily do those 
things but we know a lot of people that do, so we gave them insight - 
the adults that wanna change the use of marijuana in the community.

"It was nice to be able to kind of give adults the insight of how 
kids feel. It was nice to be able to talk openly because I think one 
of the problems with kids that drink and smoke is that they can't 
talk to their parents about it. Being able to talk to community 
members - I thought it was really awesome to be able to talk to them."

Roby Little, director of Lee's Summit Cares, said the organization 
put on the summit to do exactly what occurred: open dialogue about 
how drugs and alcohol use among young people in Lee's Summit not only 
affects businesses, but the community as a whole.

"I was very pleased with the turnout today," Little said. "I don't 
think people are aware of the impact of alcohol and marijuana or 
prescription drug use in our community. Part of Lee's Summit Cares' 
objective is to bring that awareness to the community"

Little added another summit will take place in October to give 
participants an opportunity to figure out solutions to help stem the 
tide of drug and alcohol use.

"We're going to do a follow-up and see what we can do," she said. 
"It's like, 'what's our next step now?'"
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom