TO: Mayor and Council Members
Marlene Best, City Manager
Shawn Hagerty, City Attorney
FROM: Annette Ortiz, CMC, City Clerk
DATE: March 23, 2022
SUBJ: Updated Council Meeting Materials – March 23, 2022 NON-AGENDA PUBLIC COMMENT:
The attached correspondence for Non-Agenda Public Comment was received and is provided for your consideration.
From: Rebecca Rapp
To: [email protected]; Dustin Trotter; John Minto; Laura Koval; Ronn Hall; Rob McNelis; James Jeffries; Clerk Info
Subject: Please include letter in Agenda packet for tonight"s CC meeting Date: Wednesday, March 23, 2022 1:00:05 PM
Good evening, Mayor Minto and city council, I’m writing to you as I cannot attend in person tonight, my name is Becky Rapp, I’m a parent and public health educator, deeply concerned with the mental health crisis our youth are facing. Teens and young adults all over the city are suffering more than ever from depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideology. The numbers are staggering. It’s so concerning that state Senators are talking about it and engaging in conversations with the US Surgeon general. Dr. Vivek Murthy.
Senator Lankford spoke to the impacts of marijuana consumption and how it ties to mental health in youth, issuing an advisory and call to action. The surgeon general states, “marijuana works by binding to receptors in the brain to produce euphoria, intoxication and memory and motor impairments”. Dr. Murthy goes on to say, “when it comes to youth, I worry that there is a perception that marijuana is utterly harmless to children, we need to be responsible in how we teach our kids about marijuana. Families, health care providers, and teachers need to know how to talk to children.”
Senator Lankford recognizes that this message is not getting out. Children and youth are watching role models use marijuana, they’re seeing businesses open with signage and advertising targeting kids. Billboards advertise the misconception that marijuana will make you healthy and happy. We even have businesses with the name of Cookies in neighboring
communities like Mission Valley and La Mesa.
It’s crucial we now more than ever educate our youth. Educate them on the detrimental effects that marijuana can have on their mental health. Small steps such as counter-messaging could have lasting positive effects on our youth’s mental health.
Thank you