Raising Awareness

Of An Escalating Problem

To the Editor:

Last week we read about a Newtown man who hosted a drinking party for a group of young teens in his own home. While this was clearly an extreme example, as several youth were taken to the emergency room with dangerous blood alcohol levels, it underscores a key aspect of underage drinking: it is a problem primarily facilitated by adults. If a child takes a drink of alcohol, it means that an adult has bought it for them, sold it to them, or provided access to it, knowingly or unwittingly.

Alcohol is the drug of choice for Connecticut’s youth and over 60 percent of underage drinking occurs in the home. Teens today have unprecedented access to this gateway drug and are beginning to drink as young as 11 years old –– a full decade before the legal age. We can reverse this disturbing trend, but in order to be successful we must acknowledge our responsibility as role models and guardians of our youth.

Coincidentally, last week also marked Newtown’s first annual “Stop Underage Drinking Week,” spearheaded by the youth group of the NO SUDS task force, part of the Newtown Prevention Council. A community forum, peer education at the Reed and middle schools, and a band concert at the Teen Center addressed the problem on multiple fronts and represented a comprehensive communitywide effort. The Newtown Police are adding patrols this spring to enforce the new ordinance, which targets underage drinking on private property and implementing a campaign to reduce alcohol sales to minors.

I want to thank everyone who planned, organized, and participated in these events for helping to raise awareness of this escalating problem. In particular, I would like to thank Alexa Vacaro and all the youth who participated in these events; Judy Blanchard, Prevention Council chair; Police Chief Mike Kehoe and Sergeant Robert Tvardzik; First Selectman Herb Rosenthal; State Representatives Julia Wasserman and DebraLee Hovey; Legislative Council member Joe Hemingway; Amy Mangold of the Parks and Recreation Department; Pam Crowcroft, student assistance counselor; Roseanne Loring of Newtown Youth Services; Donna Deluca and Dorrie Carolan of the Parent Connection; Superintendent Evan Pitkoff; Gail Seymour, middle school health teacher; Tony Salvatore, Reed school assistant principal; Newtown High School Principal Bill Manfredonia; Lisa Scwartz of the Board of Education; Gary Najarian of the CCSUD, and numerous others who have helped make these events successful. Newtown is blessed to have so many caring adults and capable youth. I applaud the efforts of this community partnership and look forward to continuing to work together towards our common goal.

Sincerely,

Nina Allred

Newtown Youth Services

NO SUDS Community Coordinator

41A Main Street, Newtown                                               May 18, 2004