Letter to ARHS Parents/Guardians on Ballot Question #4

This letter from Amherst Regional High School Principal Mark Jackson was sent to ARHS families and is reposted here because much of the content is relevant to the entire district. 

In the November election, Massachusetts voters approved ballot question #4: the ‘Legalization, Regulation and Taxation of Marijuana.’ As a result, school districts all over the state are working to clarify the law for their communities.

While the state’s Executive Office of Public Safety and Security has described the new law as ‘a complex web of different rules…’, my goal here is to sidestep most of the fine print and focus only on the implications of the law for the high school and its students.

In December, I met with a representative of the Amherst Police Department to take advice on how to best summarize the law. They have reviewed and approved the summary below.

Here are the core provisions:

1. It is illegal for anyone to possess or consume marijuana on the grounds of or within a public or private school where children attend classes in preschool programs, kindergarten programs or secondary schools.
2. It is illegal for anyone under the age of 21 to possess marijuana or attempt to procure unless they hold a valid medical marijuana card.

The new law does not change the consequences for marijuana in school. Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 37 H still applies.

Beyond the law, there is our larger interest in the healthy development of our students. Marijuana use, in my judgment and those of experts in the field, doesn’t much contribute to this.

As always, our guidance department is available to talk with parents/guardians and families if there are concerns.

Thank you.

Mark Jackson, Principal

Adolescents and Addiction and Rising Opioid/Marijuana Use Presentation Available Online

from ARHS PGO:

Last month, Dr Ruth Potee, Chair of the Healthcare Solutions Committee of the Franklin County/North Quabbin Opioid Task Force, spoke to the ARHS Community about Adolescents and Addiction and Rising Opioid / Marijuana Use.  The powerful presentation sparked ARHS Community dialogue about how we as a school and broader community think about teenage use and abuse of marijuana, pain pills and other drugs.  The event was jointly sponsored by the ARHS PGO, SPIFFY[The Strategic Planning Initiative for Families and Youth] and the Town of Amherst.

To view the presentation, click here.

Dr Potee Substance Abuse Presentation

To discuss the implications of Dr. Potee’s presentation for ARHS and its students, a second meeting was held on Thursday, October 20. A group of ARHS parents and guardians brainstormed a range of possible initiatives aimed at keeping our students safe. We will keep the ARHS community informed about the direction of this work. If you are interested in becoming more involved, please email Mark Jackson[jacksonmk@arps.org] Thank you.

Opioid Awareness and Treatment Resources

On Wednesday, May 25, the ARHS PGO and Principal Jackson hosted Robbin Suprenant, the head nurse for Amherst public schools, and Julie Federman, the Health and Community Services Director for the Amherst Health Department to discuss Adolescents and Substance Abuse including school, town and state initiatives to raise awareness and discuss resources available. Heather Warner, Coordinator of the SPIFFY Coalition (Strategic Planning Initiative for Families and Youth) provided information about alcohol, marijuana and other use rates at ARHS from a survey conducted in 2015.

This fall, ARHS and the Amherst Health Department and the SPIFFY Coalition will outline a series of initiatives to address youth substance use including alcohol, marijuana and opioid use and misuse locally. Speaker Dr. Ruth Potee is scheduled to present to parents on September 22, 2016. To view one of her presentations on Addiction, please click here.

Additionally, handouts from Hampshire Hope were presented. Hampshire Hope is a collaboration of individuals, health care organizations, community groups, social service agencies, government agencies, local health departments, Office of Northwestern District Attorney, law enforcement agencies, first responders and others who have joined together in a comprehensive effort to reduce and prevent opiod use and abuse in our region. Their website (www.hampshirehope.org) offers facts to build awareness and information to prevent Opioid use and misuse, signs for recognizing abuse as well as treatment resources.

More information about The SPIFFY Coalition can be found at: sspiffycoalition.org. SPIFFY is a coalition of over 80 community partners working together to improve outcomes for youth in Hampshire County. Together we promote strong families and create a local culture where youth are supported to make healthy choices.