Forum Studies Teen Drug, Alcohol Use in La Cañada

A teen drug and alcohol abuse meeting held at La Cañada Flintridge City Hall Saturday morning served as a forum where ideas were exchanged on how to deal with the issue within this city.

“This is an important day, a day to address the concerns of community members on how to address the teen drug and alcohol problem,” Will Moffitt, chair of the Community Prevention Council and lead event organizer, said.

“Not to say that we are any worse or any better in this community, but if we can help one family then our work has been worthwhile,” he said.

The summit meeting, attended by 35 individuals, consisted of parents, students, school officials, counselors, youth organizations, sheriff’s representatives and attorneys.

Mental health counselor Paul Royer said that, for the most part, the teens he sees in his practice have had difficulties dealing with peer pressure and acceptance.

Royer said one of his major concerns is that more kids at younger ages are having substance abuse problems.

“I’ve seen more kids on the 13 through 15 years of age having alcohol or marijuana problems,” he said. “I do know that there is that culture where some parents say ‘Oh it’s just a little bit of alcohol.’”

Royer said it’s important that adults keep that nonchalant attitude in check. “It is in our culture. It has nothing to do with the parenting, but we must keep in mind high school students are at high risk and will continue to be at high risk in their freshman, sophomore and juniors years in college.”

La Cañada High School senior Brianna Jones said, “Seventh- through ninth-grade is a time where you feel like you don’t fit anywhere.”

Jones, a former Sunland resident and straight-A student who was class president at her junior high school, said that after moving to La Cañada High School she went through a drug and alcohol problem.

Jones, who is now drug and alcohol free, said she used to do crack, smoke marijuana and periodically pass out from alcohol consumption.

“Nowhere in my past did I know I would ever have a drug and alcohol problem,” Jones said. “It didn’t look like I would ever head down that path. That wasn’t me. I was that student going to Harvard not that 1.8 [grade point average] crack head.”

Jones said when she was discovered with drugs she didn’t get scolded. Instead, her case was handled carefully. Otherwise Jones would have probably gotten defensive and not cooperated as much, she admitted.

Jones said the drug abuse is not as prevalent at her high school as it used to be before. “I know two years ago it was out of control. In my opinion, it has gone down. The kids big on the drug use are out of school and parents are more involved.”