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Leader's LetterOctober 2004
Educate our Youth - and Keep them AliveOur young people are our greatest resource, but youth statistics in this country paint a dismal picture of teenage pregnancies, STDs, underage drinking, drug and solvent abuse. Young New Zealanders face threats that have had disastrous effects on some of the more vulnerable youth. Lowering the drinking age to 18 has allowed for younger New Zealanders to gain easier access to alcohol, and has contributed to the worsening problem of teen boozing. Over the past three months it has become clear that the Government is failing to provide youth with the necessary information to keep them safe. The news has been full of tragedies involving our youth which could have been avoided if there were adequate interventionist strategies in place. We need to place more value on young people to help improve their overall status. Our young people - the future backbone of our society - are a tremendous asset, and right now we are not taking proper care of them. This society must share the responsibility of making sure young people feel valued, safe and healthy. Practical ways to improve the health and well being of young New Zealanders is a priority, and schoolbased services are an effective way to provide health care and drug education to young people so that they are able to make the right decisions and learn to say ‘No!’ One of the more pressing issues seems to be the increasing cannabis use among teens. Youth are being fed the message that cannabis is a harmless drug, and calls to decriminalise cannabis only push this misleading message further with the argument that because it’s out there, available, and apparently the drug of choice for many otherwise ‘normal’ people, it shouldn’t be a criminal offence. We need more effective education strategies to ensure that teenagers are aware of the long-term serious health effects of heavy cannabis use. Devising effective ways of keeping young people mentally healthy is extremely important, and while the recent decline in youth suicide rates is encouraging, we still have a long way to go. Craig McNair
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