SACRAMENTO – California’s birth rate among adolescents has continued to decline to record-low levels, reports California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Director and State Health Officer Dr. Karen Smith. The state’s 2014 numbers indicate a record low of 20.8 births per 1,000 females between the ages of 15 and 19. Those numbers reflect a 10 percent decline from 2013 and a 55 percent decline from the 2000 rate of 46.7.

"California’s continued success in reducing births among adolescents is an excellent example of public health at work,” said Dr. Smith. “We can have a positive influence on the lives of young people when we empower them with knowledge, tools and resources to make healthy choices.”

The birth rate among adolescents decreased among all racial and ethnic groups between 2000 and 2014. During this time, the birth rate dropped from 77.3 to 31.3 (births per 1,000 females aged 15 to 19) among Hispanics, 59.1 to 24.6 among African Americans, 22.3 to 8.4 among Whites and 15.0 to 3.7 among Asians.

Despite these declining birth rates, racial disparities persist in adolescent childbearing in California. African American and Hispanic adolescents are three to four times as likely to give birth as White females. In addition, the birth rate among adolescents varies considerably across counties, from a low of 7.0 in Marin County to a high of 45.1 in Kern County.

California has a number of programs aimed at preventing adolescent pregnancy and improving pregnancy outcomes among young women. CDPH funds the Information and Education Program, the Personal Responsibility Education Program authorized through the Affordable Care Act of 2010, and the Adolescent Family Life Program for expectant and parenting adolescents. In addition, the state provides no-cost family planning services to eligible men and women, including adolescents, through the Family PACT Program.

For more birth rate data, visit CDPH’s Adolescent Health Data and Statistics page.

www.cdph.ca.gov

I was unable to attend the special meeting held on 7-26-16 (last night) so I will summarize Chief Wareham's notes, as presented by Chief Vasquez and Jackson, concerning effects of marijuana on communities that legalize it. Next week I hope to publish more detail on these findings. Here are some highlights.

My thanks to all three Chiefs for providing this voluminous information. I will republish their 8-page, single-space report in full next week.

On returning from an investigative trip to Colorado, Oregon, and Washington (where medical marijuana has been made legal), Police Chief Dave Wareham notes the following:

1. Overall Message, "Don't do it", i.e. approve a medical marijuana grow and distribution operation in our new business park.

2. Biggest issues are home grows, doctors issuing recommendations for profit, and very high potency.

3. 46 of 52 counties that opted out of commercial jarijuana. still experience problems.

4. Common comment: "I voted for it, but didn't think I was voting for this."

5. Colorado is now #1 in teen use, adult use, and college use.

6. Marijuana is now 100 percent different from traditional pot.

7. 80-90 percent of the population smoke; edibles and the concentrate scare them.

8. They have criminal organizations, Cuban nationals, Russian mafia, etc. coming into state, renting houses and setting up large illegal grows. Marijuana going out of state for large profit ($2,000 per pound in Colorado - $5,500 per pound East Coast.

9. ER admissions up 100 percent. 138 visits this year linked to marijuana.

10. DUIs: 77 percent linked with marijuana.

11. 2015 had highest fatality rate in TC.

12. Crime is us 6 percent state-wide. There is a noticeable increase in disorder, vagrancy, social issues.

13. Homeless population is up 153 percent.

14. Most homicides are marijuana related.

15. BHO explosions (over 20) on the rise

16. They now have "travelers" (homeless) who come to Colorado on 420-day, they stay to use marijuana and leave at first snowfall. They live and beg on the streets, urinate/defecate in public and are a community eyessore.

These statements comprise less than one page of the report. The entire report will be published next week in the Gazette.

A word to the wise: VOTE NO ON MEDICAL MARIJUANA.

My thanks to Chief Wareham for providing this valuable information.

The Relay for Life of Fillmore-Piru would like to welcome the community to come participate in a series of forums this summer on different patient outreaches for the American Cancer Society. To show the community how the American Cancer Society and Relay for Life can give back to their local communities. We have already had a successful event on June 20th, where Kretta Shaner came out and spoke on the Look Good Feel Better program. On July 25th at 7pm David Weissman will come, and speak on Road to Recovery, and on August 22nd at 7pm Pam Brady will come and speak on the 24/7 1-800-227-2345 number. These meetings will take please at the youth building next to the memorial building in Fillmore (511 2nd Street, Fillmore CA).

On July 25th at 7pm at the youth building next to the memorial building in Fillmore (511 2nd Street, Fillmore Ca). David Weissman, a volunteer who has been participating in the Road to Recovery program for over 6 years, will be joining us, to discuss the program. David has helped over 150 patients get to their cancer treatments, and volunteers because someday he might be the one that needs these services, and will rely on volunteers like himself to get him to treatment.

Road to Recovery is a curbside-curbside transportation service that provides free rides to cancer patients to and from treatments. Trained volunteer drivers donate their time and the use of their personal vehicles to help patients get to treatments they need. The program is offered to people with cancer who have no means of transportation and/or are unable to drive themselves.

So Why is the Road to Recovery Program important? Many people need daily or weekly treatment, often over a course of several months. Increasingly, these treatments are provided on an outpatient basis, which means that the person must have a way to get to the appointment. Family and friends may help, but they may not have the time or financial means to assume the total burden of frequent trips to treatment centers. A successful transportation assistance program can be a tremendous asset to the community.

How do patients schedule a ride? To request a ride patient must contact the American Cancer Society at 1-800-227-2345. Patients must give a minimum of four (4) business days’ notice in advance of the date the ride is needed.

How to become a Road to Recovery Volunteer? Please contact the local Society Office, visit cancer.org/drive, or call 1-800-227-2345.

Relay for life of Fillmore-Piru will be happening September 24th-25th, 2016 from 9am-9am at Shiells Park in Fillmore. For more information on the Relay for life of Fillmore-Piru, please visit www.relayforlife.org/fillmoreca, or contact Caitlin Barringer (805)644-4237.