Series of events planned to combat childhood drinking

Newton - As part of National Alcohol Awareness Month, the Center for Prevention and Counseling will host several events throughout April to bring attention to the problem of alcohol use by young people. The federal government recently established an aggressive national effort to attempt to curb underage drinking. The “Start Talking Before They Start Drinking” campaign will be initiated in Sussex County, starting with the “National Town Hall Meeting to Address Childhood Drinking” from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 28, at the Freeholders Conference Room, One Spring Street, in Newton. Additional town hall meetings will be held on April 3 in Hopatcong and April 12 in Montague. Similar meetings will take place in each of the state’s 21 counties, covering 230 communities, thanks to a grant from the N.J. Dept. of Human Services, Division of Addiction Services. “Childhood drinking” is a relatively new term that applies to children everywhere - some as young as nine years old - who are experimenting with alcohol (and not just a “sip”). More children use alcohol than tobacco or illicit drugs. Almost half of New Jersey’s seventh- and eighth-grade students have used alcohol at some time in their lives. Most experts consider alcohol a “gateway drug” - meaning once alcohol is tried, other drug use is more likely. Children who begin drinking alcohol before age 15 are five times more likely than those who start after age 21 to develop long-term alcohol problems. The Sussex County Coalition for Healthy and Safe Families’ has announced that winners of its public service announcement “Start Talking Before They Start Drinking” contest will be featured in the N.J. Herald and on Clearchannel Radio 102.3. All entries will be on display at the March 28 town hall meeting. The coalition’s youth group, DEFY (Drug Education For Youth) developed, filmed and edited a Public Service Announcement video that will be unveiled at the March 28 meeting. The youth group will also be attending the Mothers Against Drunk Driving conference to address underage drinking. For information, call 973-383-4787.