To the Editor –
As an employee of Schuyler County Public Health I am concerned about the underage drinking problem in Schuyler County. According to the most current data 47.6% of 7th through 12th grade students report using alcohol at some point in their life and 25.5% report using it in the past 30 days. Many young people in the county are using alcohol for the first time before they are 13 years old. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, research has shown that youth who begin drinking before the age of 15 are 6 times more likely to develop alcohol dependence or abuse than those who begin drinking at the legal age of 21.
The Schuyler County Coalition on Underage Drinking and Drugs (SCCUDD) would like to remind everyone that April is Alcohol Awareness Month. We want to continue to raise awareness about underage alcohol use. SCCUDD plans to continue its mission to decrease underage alcohol use by providing community members with information regarding youth alcohol use, its dangers, prevention tips, and providing support for alcohol-free youth activities and training for our youth.
I encourage people to learn more about the consequences of underage drinking and what they can do by following SCCUDD on Facebook or Twitter. SCCUDD will post facts, information, and tips each day in April.
If you or someone you know needs help because of underage alcohol use or you would like more information you can contact the Finger Lakes Area Counseling & Recovery Agency (FLACRA) online at https://www.flacra.org or by phone 315-462-9466 or the Council on Alcoholism and Addictions of the Finger Lakes online at http://councilonalcoholismfingerlakes.org or by phone 315-789-0310.
For more information, or to become involved with SCCUDD, visit SCCUDD online at www.schuylercounty.us/sccudd, or follow SCCUDD on Facebook and Twitter.
Casey Allen
SCCUDD Project Coordinator
This is a “Letter to the Editor” and was not written by any member of the FingerLakes1.com Staff. To submit a “letter” for consideration it should be no more than 1,200 words, include identification of author, and be sent to [email protected]. All editorials, letters, and op-eds are run at the editorial team’s discretion.
