By Shari Johnson, Chairperson,
Call for Concern Community Coalition
A sobering statistic for Calhoun parents is the fact that on the 2005 PRIDE Survey 75.9% of 11th grade students
and 64.7% of 12th grade students reported they had used beer within the last year.
Another sobering statistic is
that 31.4% of Calhoun's 6th grade students reported to have consumed alcohol within the last year.
The average
age of young people experimenting with alcohol is 11 years old. From the 2003 Pride Survey Calhoun's statistics
rose on several substance abuse categories.
Our reason for bringing this to your attention is not to scare you into
a panic, but, if you have a child attending prom, or graduation events, it should be a launching point between you
and them to start a serious conversation about behavior and consequences.
When asked the question "Where Do You Use Beer?" The majority said at a friend's home, with the second
highest result being at their own home.
Before anyone decides to host an after prom or graduation party for young
people you should know the law. The fact is serving beer, wine, or other alcoholic beverage to a non-family
member under the age of twenty one (21) is strictly against the law.
Furthermore, a host who serves alcohol may
be held responsible for the actions of a guest, regardless of the guest's age. In fact, a host may be subject not
only to criminal charges for serving alcohol to under aged persons, but may also be held accountable for civil
liability for damages caused by any person whose negligence is influenced by the alcohol served at the host's
party.
Drinking and driving will result in the death of more than 3,000 teenagers each year, and another 259,000 are
injured with 6,500 of those being seriously hurt.
Please, take the time to tell our young people that it is not only illegal to drink under the age of 21, but the
consequences are often irreversible and deadly. Law enforcement cannot be everywhere, all the time. But as a
community, even if we do not have children involved we can watch and report at risk behaviors.
Our coalition has taken on the task of making our community a safer place for youth by bringing to your attention
a problem that is in great need of being addressed. Underage drinking is a community issue. With one poor
decision, resulting in an accident, an entire community could be devastated.
Please, take the time to share this information with the people you care about. | 
