Y.O.U. Teams Up Against Drugs
YOU
Youth Opportunities United, Publication of the Worldwide Church of God
Conversation with Jim Thornhill
YOU is working with other national groups to fight one of America’s most dangerous youth problems.
Our International Director, Jim Thornhill, is working in cooperation with two other national organizations which are leaders in the field of youth drugs and crime problems. NARCONON (“no narcotics”) and the Pasadena Chapter of Boys Clubs of America have been working closely with Mr. Thornhill in the planning of a major symposium, scheduled for April at the Ambassador Auditorium. (All plans are subject to final approval at this date.) The symposium would feature some of Hollywood’s top performers, (Bill Cosby & Phyllis Diller, for example), as well as a speaker from each of the three above mentioned organizations. The audience will consist of community, civic, and state leaders, with the program emphasis being placed on public education and awareness with the hope of bringing about stronger legislation and enforcement in regards to the drug problem.
When you realize that the State of California is going to vote on legalizing marijuana, you begin to see just how unaware the public is of this unbelievably-serious problem.
We live in a very distraught and confused world. With the news media focusing its attention on the international unrest, which is so affecting the everyday lives of Americans, it is quite easy to overlook the domestic problems which have estranged the youth of our country. The drug problem which stares each of you in the face every day is at the top of this list.
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| |—| | Representatives from the three organizations take a break from their planning session. From left to right; George Geis (Y.O.U.’s Symposium Speaker), Chuck Bradford (Boy’s Club), Renata Canton (Narconon), Mark Ashland (Y.O.U.), Mario Davis (Narconon), and Jim Thornhill. |
Narcotic usage, abuse and drug related crimes increased by a thousand per cent through the decade of the seventies and appear to be continuing to climb. Today’s conditions cause so many people to seek an escape, even though escape through drugs only means returning to a worsened problem.
I discussed with Mr. Thornhill the reasons why Y.O.U. is now involved with these groups and this problem. He commented that an immediate result of our involvement will be the impact we can have on this community and eventually the nation’s drug problem. In addition to this, even though we don’t want to admit to it, we have drug problems and potential drug problems with church youth, and we can’t neglect this responsibility.
Mr. Thornhill went on to mention that there has been a concerned movement towards controlling PCP (“angel dust”) usage. But, as the NARCONON officials pointed out to him, drugs are hitting the market daily that are even more harmful than PCP.
Photo Caption:
Representatives from the three organizations take a break from their planning session. From left to right; George Geis (Y.O.U.’s Symposium Speaker), Chuck Bradford (Boy’s Club), Renata Canton (Narconon), Mark Ashland (Y.O.U.), Mario Davis (Narconon), and Jim Thornhill.–>
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