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| Key meeting on heroin draws young and old |
By: By STEPHANIE SOUCHERAY
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NORTHFIELD - Teen members of the Northfield Union of Youth were not the only residents to attend Monday night's meeting at The Key, the organization's youth center on Water Street.
Over 50 people, half of them adults, spilled off the couches and onto the floor of the center to participate in a youth-run dialogue on the heroin and drug problems in Northfield.
"This is a really good chance for The Key to show people what we're about," said Josh Hinnenkamp, The Key's executive director.
Though The Key has been operating for 13 years and identifies itself as a smoke-, drug- and violence-free safe haven for area teens, it still gets a bad reputation.
"Just because we have kids here, people think we can be trouble," said Hinnenkamp. "This meeting shows what we're about."
Monday's meeting looked at causes, misconceptions and solutions to drug use problems among Northfield youth. Those in attendance formed four small groups that reported back to the larger group after discussing each topic for 15 minutes.
Adults listened to teens and vice versa. Everybody expressed concern over the recent news about drugs in their community.
"I want to know if heroin is a community problem or a problem we in the community can help with," said Randy Jennings, a concerned adult who said he thought the initial reports on heroin use were "sensationalistic."
Teens at the meeting echoed Jennings concern that the number of heroin users were over-reported.
The cost of heroin, once reported in the media as a $700-a-day habit according to Police Chief Gary Smith, was also questioned at Monday's meeting.
"I think it's more like $10 or $15 dollars per day for recreational users," said Amy Merritt, 32, a volunteer at The Key. "Or free if your friends give it to you."
Merritt fears that if parents read that heroin costs upwards of $600 they will not think their children are using the drug because they could not afford it.
During the conversation on drug misconceptions, several people spoke of the differences between use and abuse.
"Our education system is geared towards abuse and not use," said Hinnenkamp.
Parents wanted to know how serious teens thought other drug problems were in Northfield.
"I want to know if teens think that marijuana use is a problem here," said Christine Stanton.
Many teens in Stanton's small groups said that marijuana was prevalent and pervasive among Northfield youth.
Spencer Foote, an employee of The Key, said that a lot Northfield youth smoke pot.
Besides discussing drug use, teen Key members spoke of wanting better communication between local law enforcement and area youth.
Former Key board member Joe McGowan, 18, said The Key helped him choose the right path.
"I was on the wrong path before The Key," said McGowan, who will be attending the University of Arizona in the fall.
The Key is open to anyone from 12 to 20, said Hinnenkamp. The center offers programs like cooking and gardening classes, music and art projects.
- Stephanie Soucheray can be reached at 645-1114 or ssoucheray@northfieldnews.com.
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