PLCB Recognizes April as Alcohol Awareness Month During Statewide Conference Addressing Underage Drinking and Over-Consumption
MECHANICSBURG, Pa., April 3, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board today welcomed hundreds of community leaders, educators and law enforcement officers to its annual statewide conference "Communities in Action: Moving from Knowledge to Practice Reducing Dangerous and Underage Use of Alcohol."
Co-sponsored by the U.S. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency and the National Alcohol Beverage Control Association, the two-day event provides an opportunity to share trends, best practices and resources to address underage and irresponsible drinking.
"Local communities are taking the lead in trying new and innovative approaches to prevent young people from picking up their first drink," said Joseph E. Brion, Chairman of the Liquor Control Board. "We know that alcohol remains the number one drug of choice for young people across the country. Through this conference, we hope to continue our work together to deter underage drinking and improve the overall health and well-being of their communities."
One such program featured at the conference, Do the Right Thing, Inc., provides positive interactions between police and young people and honors students for their accomplishments to reinforce good decision-making. Representatives from the Hummelstown Police Department and Lower Dauphin County Communities that Care will share their experience since bringing the program to Hummelstown five years ago and provide details on how to start a local chapter.
While the conference provides best practices in the area of prevention, victim advocates and law enforcement will also lead workshops to educate attendees about the negative implications of underage drinking and over-consumption. Workshops will include investigation tips for law enforcement, the impact of the media in portraying female drinking and successful programs to promote responsible consumption on college campuses.
The keynote address will highlight a unique program developed in Lycoming County called "Underage Drinking Court," developed by the Honorable Marc Loveccio and Christine Deal, of the West Branch Drug & Alcohol Abuse Commission, which takes a proactive approach to dealing with young offenders. The program uses a hands-on, peer driven model to impact young people who have engaged in underage drinking to provide them with tools to make better life decisions.
"According to a Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency survey, more than 17 percent of 8th-graders and nearly 50 percent of high school seniors reported drinking alcohol in the past 30 days", said Chairman Brion. "Programs that focus on giving young people the tools they need to make the right choices will have a significant impact on their lives."
For more information about the conference or the PLCB's alcohol education efforts, visit www.lcb.state.pa.us.
Media contact: Stacey Witalec or Stacy Kriedeman, 717-783-8864.
SOURCE Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board
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