Teen-agers take on own issues

By Sharon Salyer

Herald Writer

Of the "three evils" faced by teens — drugs, alcohol and tobacco — Meadowdale High School student Lora Reed said she thinks tobacco often gets too little attention.

"That’s something we need to change," she said.

Her solution: Start an intensive anti-tobacco program to hammer home how addictive and life-threatening tobacco can be.

"I think teens really have an, ‘It’s not going to happen to me’ attitude," she said, adding that anti-tobacco education programs should continue through high school.

Reed is just one of the teens who will participate in an upcoming youth panel being held Wednesday night at the Snohomish County PUD office in Everett.

Hosted by Gov. Gary Locke and Snohomish County Executive Bob Drewel, the event will provide Reed and 15 other youths an opportunity to express their opinions on problems faced by teens.

In addition to drugs, alcohol and tobacco, safety in school and discrimination also are expected to be discussed.

Time will be set aside for audience members to ask questions of youth panelists.

Community leaders and elected officials have been invited so they can hear about these issues directly from teens, said Sarah Mariani, who is helping plan the event for the Snohomish County Health and Safety Network.

"For community leaders, it’s an opportunity to get information that hopefully will affect their decisions in the year to come," Mariani said.

"I think there are a lot of community leaders who don’t know what issues are affecting teens," Reed said. "They think alcohol and drugs are the only things that are troubling teens. There’s so many other things kids are getting stressed out about."

One of the most effective ways to have an impact with teens on issues such as alcohol, tobacco and drugs is to talk with people whose lives have been directly affected by those issues, Reed said.

This is one reason why posters and billboards of Debi Austin, the California woman who continued to smoke after having her larynx removed as part of a cancer operation, are so effective with teens, she said.

"I think being able to see it, not just, ‘Here’s a damaged lung,’ " Reed said.

Teens need to know you can die from smoking, "not when you’re 60 or 70 — you can die from lung cancer at any age."

Reed, a senior, is on the school soccer team and also volunteers in the mediation program for the Teen Hope Homeless Shelter in Shoreline.

A second youth forum, hosted by state Sen. Rosemary McAuliffe, D-Bothell, will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. Nov 20 at Ricketts Auditorium, 18315 Bothell Way NW.

The meeting has been scheduled to hear from middle and high school students about youth concerns. Students also may apply for a teen panel McAuliffe is forming to learn more about the legislative process.

You can call Herald Writer Sharon Salyer at 425-339-3486

or send e-mail to salyer@heraldnet.com.

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