Cannabis Tax Money Helps Prevent Youth Substance Abuse
[dropcap class=”kp-dropcap”]L[/dropcap]awmakers in Jefferson County, Colorado have decided to allocate tax money for programs that discourage youth substance abuse.
According to Arvada Press, this is just another example of how Colorado residents are working to make their communities a better place. “Each of these communities is working to reduce underlying risk factors and increase known protective factors with the goal of preventing problems before they ever start,” Pamela Gould, the Communities That Care coordinator for Jefferson County. This move makes Jefferson County the fiftieth community in Colorado to use its tax money for these purposes.
The program includes selecting 21 14- to 18-year-olds to act as researchers in their community. This is a great opportunity for those who want to work in healthcare or a related field to learn about healthcare, and to help those within their community. “The whole point is to raise young people who are healthy, safe and drug free,” said Dr. Mark Johnson, the executive director of Jefferson County Public Health. “With this funding, we have the potential to make a real difference.”
More conservative Jefferson County is following in the footsteps of Colorado at large, which, according to The Denver Post used $9.2 million in tax dollars last year to fund cannabis prevention and healthcare programs in schools. “We and other school health professionals are in a unique position in our schools in that we see these kids every day and we can educate, assess and assist them with substance abuse or behavioral health issues,” Rhonda Valdez, a school nurse in Colorado. “We can help keep kids from walking through that door that can lead to bad things.”
Not only has Colorado made such a move, but Oregon has also made similar decisions with their tax dollars, providing funds for schools, mental health facilities and drug abuse prevention.
