VSAAC News

The question has been raised by a number of college presidents who state that drinking, especially binge-drinking, is rampant on college campuses.  The president of Trinity College said the current drinking age “is counterproductive because it simply fosters this counterculture of binge drinking, which is epidemic at colleges”. They believe the law is unenforceable and basically the reason for the under age drinking problem.  College presidents also write: “Adults under 21 are deemed capable of voting, signing contracts, serving on juries and enlisting in the military, but are told they are not mature enough to have a beer.” Are they saying that all the 21 yr olds who are now abusing alcohol will suddenly become more mature and thoughtful if the drinking age is lowered to 18?  And, will there be a trickle down effect- will more 17, 16, and 15 year olds drink because they are close to the age of 18?

            On the other side, Alexander Wagenaar, an epidemiologist who studies alcohol issues says that college presidents see a problem on college campuses and don’t want to deal with it.  He also says studies consistently show that the 21 drinking age, “has substantially reduced the amount of drinking and the amount of damage due to drinking.”

            The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says the drinking age of 21 has “cut the traffic fatalities involving drivers ages 18 to 20 by 13%.  According to Communities Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) 25,000 lives have been saved since the implementation of the 21 yr. old drinking age.

            Neuroscience, the study of the brain, has shown that the adolescent brain is not completely developed until the early 20’s.  Alcohol introduced into the brain during the time the brain is developing has very damaging effects on the brain development.- the most compelling is the fact that individuals are 4 times more likely to have problems with alcohol if  they begin to drink in their teens.

What are your thoughts?  Lower the age to 18 or keep the legal age at 21?

Our kids score top marks in lots of things. Substance abuse isn’t a category to be proud of:  Alcohol Use Remains Constant While Heroin and Prescription Drug Use is on the Rise according to Birmingham Group Health Services Inc., Valley Substance Abuse Action Council (VSAAC)

VSAAC’s bi-annual Survey of Student Needs provides the only Valley-specific information about substance abuse/tobacco usage rate and patterns among 7th, 9th, and 11th graders in the Valley community.  While some of the survey results are positive, they also demonstrate that alcohol remains the number one drug of choice among Valley students - a finding that has remained consistent for the past 18 years.  Perhaps even more disturbing, however, are survey findings reflecting an increase in student use of heroin, and abuse of prescription pills and over the counter medications.

Two-thousand, nine hundred and ninety-seven students from seven Valley middle and high schools participated in the most recent Survey of Student Needs, conducted in the fall of 2007.  The survey polled students about a variety of substance abuse issues including how often, if ever, they used alcohol, tobacco, and/or drugs; the factors involved in their decisions to use or not use; and their attitudes and perceptions about substance abuse and other dangerous behaviors. 

In response to survey findings, VSAAC is stepping up its prevention efforts in the area of underage alcohol use with monies from a newly awarded federal grant.  In addition, a grant from the Valley Community Foundation is assisting VSAAC with its efforts to combat prescription pill abuse.  However, VSAAC staff warns that the funding for these efforts is only a part of the solution, and they are asking for the community’s continued help. “To successfully combat alcohol and drug abuse among our children, we need to have parental and community involvement and ownership in the fight,” said Pamela Mautte, Director of VSAAC.  “We need to work together so that we’re sending a solid and cohesive message to our youth.” 

VSAAC offers a variety of ways for parents and concerned citizens to get involved. Current opportunities for community involvement include VSAAC’s Community Coalition for a Drug-Free Valley and their Congregation Assistance Program (CAP).  The Coalition is a volunteer group of parents, students, educators, business leaders and concerned citizens who work together to develop and implement substance abuse prevention/education strategies throughout the community.  The CAP program is a free workshop series for the Valley’s faith based communities that teaches attendees the skills needed to assist persons affected by addictions and mental health issues.

To learn more about how you can get involved in VSAAC’s prevention efforts, obtain a copy of VSAAC’s community report “Prevention Saves Live, ” post comments on the VSAAC blog, visit www.vsaac.org, e-mail vsaac@bghealth.org, or call (203) 736-8566.

VSAAC implemented a new public awareness campaign that begin with the start of the new school year in 2008.  Billboards throughout the Valley depicting the consequences of hosting underage drinking parties is meant to educate the larger community on the Social Host Law.  Entertainment Cinemas in Seymour displays underage drinking prevention messages on two screens viewed before the feature film.  If you have seen the billboard or cinema campaign, please give us your feedback.

By: Pamela Mautte, VSAAC Director

First and foremost I would like to thank all of our coalition members, community, partners, and our legislative delegation for supporting our work in the community. When communities work together to address critical issues, they create a tremendous impact that produces lasting effects. This powerful phenomenon is the driving force behind Birmingham Group Health Services,  Inc.’s - Valley Substance Abuse Action Council (VSAAC). VSAAC works hand in hand with the community to provide education and prevention of substance abuse and related risky behaviors through innovative and collaborative efforts that continue to change and save lives in our community.

Through collaborative thinking and planning, we have worked together to promote creative problem solving and fostering innovative projects, while proactively serving our community and building support for potential solutions. It is imperative that we continue to inform the public about the connection that substance abuse and its influence over other serious conditions in the community.

·    Substance abuse is the underlying issues to many of our communities other problems such as academic failure, poverty, domestic violence, crime, unemployment, and poor mental health.

·    Research has demonstrated that early use of alcohol has been proven to affect brain development – for example a child who regularly uses alcohol or other drugs under the age of 15 is four times more likely to become dependent and experience other social, legal, and health problems

Active community involvement is vital for us to continue promoting healthy behaviors, building assets, assisting those seeking treatment and supporting recovery. These are critical components in creating healthy communities. Therefore, I challenge you to take action and help save lives in your community. Contact VSAAC today at (203) 736-8566 and join the VSAAC community coalition comprised of parents, educators, youth, law enforcement, health & human service providers, faith community, business and civic members, elected officials, and concerned citizens. Working together makes a difference!    #####