Staff Writer
With proms and graduations right around the corner, a county substance abuse prevention agency has launched a program to warn teenagers and parents of the dangers of underage drinking. Aroostook Substance Abuse Prevention, commonly know as ASAP, introduced its public education campaign on Monday at Cary Medical Center with local media and law enforcement in attendance.
The message of “Parents who host lose the most,” will be advertised on television, radio and newspapers. Placemats also will be distributed to local restaurants, according to ASAP coordinator Clare Desrosiers.
“The partying has already started,” said Lt. Darrell Ouellette, commander of Troop F in Aroostook County. Ouellette described a recent party at a nearby lake to where police were called.
Caribou Police Chief Michael Gahagan said that as the weather warms police would be showing up “in numbers” at parties where alcohol is served to minors.
Another officer described how a party was advertised on a “myspace.com” site. Police showed up and made arrests.
The campaign also will emphasize that adults who serve liquor to individuals under 21 will be prosecuted and be subject up to a $2,000 fine or a year in jail.
Desrosiers explained that 45 percent of teenagers have experimented with liquor, which national data says is provided by their parents or their friends’ parents. Locally, data shows that 37 percent of teens get liquor from someone who is over age 21, Desrosiers said.
The Houlton Police Department has the program Police and Communities Together (PACT), where parents who plan to be away, leaving a teen at home, can have police check their residence for teen parties.
“We trust our kids,” said Houlton Chief Butch Asselin. “But we know that the unexpected can happen.”
A teen can tell potential party goers that his house is being watched by police and thereby curb any friends dropping by to drink, Asselin explained.
Desrosiers also pointed to the physiological damage caused by underage drinking.
“Beyond the facts, it’s against the law,” Desrosier said.
The program director said it’s a myth that most teen deaths caused by alcohol are connected to drinking and driving. Actually, about two-thirds of alcohol related deaths are attributed to alcohol poisoning, accidental death, homicides and suicides, she said.
So the idea of providing a place to drink and not allowing them to drive is a misnomer, Desrosier said.
Officials are urging county residents who hear about or observe teenage parties where there may be drinking to inform police.
The city of Presque Isle and the county of Aroostook have issued proclamations in support of the program.
