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Underage Drinking Town Hall: "Start Talking Before They Start Drinking'

Community members who attended the Underage Drinking Prevention Coalition Town Hall helped determined follow-up ideas including providing training for alcohol-related topics, forming a volunteer support system for at-risk children, developing a community recreation center, and applying for prevention grants for teen activities that discourage underage drinking.

The Town Hall panelists included Lee County Sheriff Gary B. Parsons suggested parental involvement for teens, "Parents need to provide some daily structure in their children's lives rather than letting them just do their own thing," Parsons said. "Kids need to be given more responsibility by doing chores at home and having a daily purpose." Ralph Ott, therapist from Frontier Health's Lee County Behavioral Health, said that parents and guardians should become involved in what their kids are doing. "If parents are involved in their children's lives they are less likely to miss warning signs and more likely to prevent teens from taking the first drink." Larry Lavender, Executive Director of New Beginnings Southwest Virginia, said society often ignores kids who are less privileged. "Often children with more opportunities and advantages receive more assistance from the community, parents and other adults," he said. "The kids who need more often receive less." Sgt. Eddie Reasor of the Virginia Army National Guard Counterdrug Task Force, concurred, "We need to remove the stigma associated with children who are less privileged and focus our efforts on helping them succeed and provide mentors who can help make a difference." Other panelists were Brenda Bailey, Senior Probation Officer of Lee County Juvenile Domestic Court Services Unit; and facilitator, Layne Pennington, pastor of Jonesville First United Methodist Church.

Panelists and community members agreed during the follow-up that there is a need for a community recreation center or other venues so students have a place to go for activities and events. "There is nothing for kids to do here," was repeated by the nearly two dozen attendees. The obstacles, though, for such a center include funding and travel distance.

The group is working to involve service agencies, churches, local government, schools and other community members to help provide a solution. They will also work to increase awareness of the consequences of alcohol abuse and underage drinking.

The Town Hall was held at Jonesville First United Methodist Church was one of hundreds held nationwide with the theme, "Start Talking Before They Start Drinking" will help raise awareness and educate community members, parents, teachers, officials, youth and others about the community impact of underage drinking. "What parents may not realize," says Terry. Cline, Ph.D., Chiarman of the Federal Government's Interagency Coordinating Committee for the Prevention of Underage Drinking and Administrator of SAMHSA, "Is that children say that their parents' disapproval of underage drinking is the key reason they have chosen not to drink." Underage drinking continues to be a leading public health problem in Southwest Virginia and throughout the United States. Alcohol use threatens the safe and healthy development of more young people than any other substance--even more than tobacco and illicit drugs.

According to SAMHSA, on an average day in 2006, 7,970 teens drank alcohol for the first time, a much higher number than those who began smoking or trying illicit drugs. About 10.8 million persons aged 12 to 20 (28.3 percent of this age group) reported drinking alcohol in the past month. By comparison, 4,348 youth in that age group used an illicit drug, 4,082 smoked cigarettes, 3,577 used marijuana and 2,517 used pain relievers non-medically for the first time. By 8th grade, 41 percent of adolescents have had at least one drink, and almost 20 percent report having been "drunk.' Families can make a difference. SAMHSA reports that children and teens are less likely to abuse alcohol if parents are involved in their children's lives, make and enforce clear rules, and are positive role models. In 2006, past-month use of illicit drugs, cigarettes and alcohol (including binge drinking) was lower among youth ages 12 to 17 who reported that their parents always or sometimes engaged in monitoring behaviors. Examples include helping children with homework, limiting television and time out with friends on school nights, and requiring them to do chores) than among youth whose parents "seldom" or "never" engaged in such behaviors.

For more information, call Rica Maralit at (276) 523-8300 or 1-800-924-5218. The coalition is in arm of the Concerned about Our Community Coalition in partnership with Frontier Health and Planning district One Behavioral Health Services.

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