Police combat underage drinking
Officials with local law enforcement organizations and community partners have announced the fourth wave for the underage drinking enforcement and education campaign called “Underage Drinking. Adult Consequences.” which will run through Aug. 26.
Since the campaign launch in April, 124 citations related to underage alcohol use and parties have been issued by enforcement agencies throughout Aroostook County.
“This stepped up enforcement, however, is not about arrests or tickets, but about saving lives,” said Chief Michael Gahagan of the Caribou Police Department.
“This fourth wave is an ideal time to re-focus on the issue of underage drinking,” noted Michelle Plourde Chasse, project manager of Community Voices. “During these back-to-school days we remind parents to talk with young people about the risks of underage alcohol use and for communities and schools to be prepared to build student’s abilities to resist alcohol and make smart choices for themselves,” she added.
Plourde Chasse said it is also a time to remind young people who still have not received the message that it is against the law for them to possess, purchase, or consume alcohol. It is also against the law for anyone, regardless of his or her age, to give or sell alcohol to underaged individuals. Research has shown that strict enforcement coupled with public education reduces alcohol-related automobile accidents and use of alcohol by individuals under 21 years old.
Chief Gahagan also cited the county’s close proximity to the Canadian border and availability of three college campuses as reasons to place special emphasis on confronting drinking by youth who are not of legal age. A 2010 research article about the possession of alcohol by individuals under 21 years old noted that one of the methods used to obtain the alcohol is false identification, commonly referred to as a fake ID. College and high school students as well as individuals under 21 years old that are not in school sometimes possess fake IDs for this purpose. While the exact percentage of fake ID possession is not known in Aroostook County, researchers in the 2010 article learned that fake ID possession rates grow from 12.5 percent prior to college to 32.2 percent at the end of their second year.
The same research noted that students possessing a fake ID are more likely than their peers to use alcohol. Unfortunately, research also shows that those under 21 years old who regularly use alcohol will consume four or more drinks in one sitting. This is defined as binge drinking by behavioral health and medical officials.
Aroostook County citizens have an important part to play in denying alcohol access to youth by reporting underage drinking parties and those who might provide alcohol illegally to youth. Reporting is simple. Persons can either call their local police department or call 1-800-924-2261.
“If social and direct alcohol sources are reduced or eliminated, then we will make a tremendous impact on the safety and well-being for all community members,” said Chief Gahagan.
In late 2011, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration awarded Community Voices a special enforcement grant in an effort to save more lives on local roadways. Aroostook County law enforcement agencies including the Fort Kent, Madawaska, Van Buren, Caribou, Washburn, Limestone, Fort Fairfield, Presque Isle, Ashland and Houlton police departments, Aroostook County Sheriff’s Office, and Maine State Police are responsible for enforcing the underage drinking laws as a part of the cooperative agreement between NHTSA and the Community Voices Coalition. Maine Forest Service, Maine Warden Service and U.S. Border Patrol also support the initiative. All agencies encourage reports of incidents of underage drinking, parties, and furnishing alcohol to minors.