Jones Co. youth to attend AC4C at Capitol

     On Thursday, Feb. 23, youth from around the state will be joining the Alliance of Coalitions for Change (AC4C) to discuss their concerns about youth marijuana use and substance use in Iowa. AC4C is a statewide collaboration to effect positive change in substance abuse. Students and adults are coming together to educate their legislators about the impact marijuana, alcohol, and other substance use has on them, their peers, and their community.

     The Jones County Safe and Healthy Youth Coalition will be bringing a bus full of 40 students from three high schools’ student advocacy groups, including seven adults. The group will be among the many community coalitions and students, representing a mixture of Iowa’s rural and urban populations at this event.

     According to the 2012 Monitoring the Future study, fewer teens believe abusing marijuana is bad for their health. This belief is contributing to higher rates of abuse of this drug. The 2014 Iowa Youth Survey showed 12 percent of 11^th graders across the state of Iowa reported marijuana use in the past 30 days. Forty-one percent of 11^th graders believe marijuana use creates no risk of slight risk in harming themselves if they use marijuana once a week. Studies show when teens think a drug can be harmful, they are less likely to abuse it. It is important for the health of Iowans to keep working toward reducing drug use rates.

     The AC4C press conference will be held in the East Hall on the first floor of the Capitol rotunda from 11:30 a.m. until noon.