Are kids at skateparks exposed to drug use and other negative influences like foul language?
The misconception that skateparks somehow contribute to juvenile delinquency is one we’re researching. Unfortunately we don’t have any hard data at this time. We’re working on some studies right now, but it may be some time before we have anything definitive to share on the social effects of skateparks on communities. My general observations are that skaters need to be focused and alert, particularly in a skatepark setting, to maintain their balance and to perform the maneuvers they do. Skateboarding, by its very nature, is an anti-drug. So it’s safe to say that a skatepark full of kids is a skatepark full of kids not getting stoned. Tony Hawk and I first met at a skatepark. We were 14 years old, and many of the other skaters there were in their late teens, some in their twenties. They all took us under their wing, showing us new maneuvers in the pool, as well as just befriending a couple skinny young kids. These guys were from age groups that, at our high school, wouldn’t give us the
