HomeMy WebLinkAbout20201027_PT ETC Meeting MinutesPort Townsend Empowered Teens Coalition
Meeting Minutes
October 27 3:30-4:30pm
Zoom Meeting
Purpose of meeting: Updates on programs, YMPEP Policy feasibility
Facilitator for this meeting: Lindsay Scalf
In attendance: Karen Obermeyer, Anne Dean, Greg Brotherton, Lo Lo Sherwood, Al Scalf, Susan O’Brien
Time Activity
3:30 Call meeting to order, approve minutes from September
3:35 Quick updates about programs:
Action plan approval- edits still in progress
Drug Take Back- 75 lbs of drugs collected in PT, 125 lbs in Port Hadlock
Guiding Good Choices- Mondays in November, four participants signed up, still
recruiting
Community survey- collecting through December, less than 50 collected so far of
required 180 for PT school district
3:40 YMPEP Policy feasibility
Background
Olympic region policy advisory committee identified policy feasibility plan for the
area
We did a community readiness assessment, Jefferson county scored low on
community readiness
Prevention strategy types include policy change work, and direct service work.
Empowered Teens Coalition does both.
Jefferson county description of problem
o Youth report easy access
o Perceived risk is low
o Community acceptance of use
o Youth use rates are higher than the state
Marijuana sales increase of 29% compared to same months in 2019 (can be
attributed to covid-19 pandemic and increased use/stocking up on it)
Polling to rank identified community problems
Identified problems, youth use higher than state, other youth needs, community
acceptance of use
Explanation of policy options
Add prevention language to Jefferson county comprehensive plan.
o Al described comprehensive plan addition of prevention language. This new
update allows updates related to healthy living (Jefferson county can be a
place of opportunity for all’) the land use section of the plan lists health
outcomes (physical activity insufficiency, rates of obesity, heart disease,
diabetes higher than state) proportion of people over the age 65 are almost
double the state rate. Land use section identifies room to promote health in
a variety of way. Specific health related aspects are currently lacking in the
plan, and any addition would be welcome.
o Greg described a potential ban on processing marijuana on rural/residential
land in Jefferson County.
School district policy #3423 (parental administration of marijuana for medical
purposes (Quilcene, Brinnon, Chimacum)
o Chimacum is working on this policy, so there is the possibility to get involved
county wide to promote distinctions between recreational use and medical
use.
Create and strengthen public use ban policies (example no marijuana festivals,
special events)
o Other counties have found success in making these policies
Advertising restrictions (lighted signs, etc…)
o Could be used to develop regulation on the green cross symbol, which
traditionally was used to promote medical use, so there could be a
distinction made between recreational and medicinal
o Greg mentioned that there is a separate endorsement a retailer can get in
order to use this green cross symbol, and it is very restricted a lot already.
o Karen mentioned that advertising is a way youth are traditionally targeted by
substance use retailers.
o Greg mentioned potential to use advertising to promote ‘locking up your
stash’ for parents and other adults to practice safe storage of marijuana in
the home.
Other policy options
No policy options
Discussed how enforcement currently works, and how to promote norms around
enforcement in discussion with local law enforcement, with a balance between
incentive and enforcement.
Discussed Point of Sale education for parents about the risks of youth use, so parents
receive materials at checkout.
Discussed how to make a systems wide policy related to those two items?
Discussed how to rate the policy options on:
Public health impact
Feasibility
Economic and budgetary impacts
How the policy addresses the problem or issue
What are the magnitude, reach, and distribution of benefit/burden
How the policy will impact health disparities/health equity
Karen described the process of how the results of polling will be used, at a regional level to
discuss feasibility, and then at a local level with support from the region.
Polling to rank potential options
Add prevention language to comp plan 5/6
School district policy 5/6
Public use ban 5/6
Additional advertising restrictions 3/6
Other 2/6
No policy action 0/6
Denise updated the group on the Quilcene wellness meeting, lots of healthy activities
implemented (bicycles, local foods, etc…)
4:25 Closed meeting at 4:25
Next meeting: Tuesday November 24th 3:30-4:30pm
Lindsay Scalf
Pronouns: she/her
Community Prevention and Wellness Initiative Coordinator
Jefferson County Public Health