2000_1120_packet - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

/ i./_t �.._ . _��i. This report identifies concrete steps that council members, law enforcement agencies, businesses, alcoholic beverage license holders, parent organizations and other groups and individuals can take to reduce the availability of alcohol to underage persons in their communities. It also includes examples from the many Minnesota communities already implementing these steps. According to Lee I? Brown, director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, and Minnesota Student Survey data, re t�^°-°r° ^* P��*�^�e. F use of �t�„h�l ��,�� 'r r.-�--�--L- age. Ap igh school seniors in Minneso 15. Despite Minnesotas minimum drinking age of 21, many underage youth have little di�culty obtaining alcohol in communities throughout the state. In the 1992 Minnesota Student Survey, 63 percent of the ninth graders and 85 percent of the 12th graders stated that alcohol was easy to obtain (Minnesota Department of Education, 1992). Research shows that the degree to which youth use and abuse alcohol is dependent upon its availability (Wagenaar, 1993). Therefore, it is essential that communities address the supply side of alcohol in their approach to reducing underage drinking. Both the reasons for and the nature of underage drinking contribute to its related problems. Not surprisingly, youth report that they drink to have fun, at parties and to be sociable. Drinking is a popular form of recreation for youth, and therefore, it often takes place when parents are not present (Beck et al, 1993). Youth also drink just to get drunk as well as to cope with stress or to change the way they feel (Lowe et al, 1993). Furthermore, youth often consume alcohol in excess. Results from the Minnesota Student Survey reported that more than one in three high school seniors had five or more drinks when they drank in the prior month (Minnesota Department of Education, 1992). It is the combination of excessive drinlcing with the inability to physically handle alcohol that is at the root of the serious negative consequences of teenage drinking. When youth drink alcohol, the negative health and social conse- quences related to drinlcing greatly increase. These harmful consequences range from personal and social problems to violence, crime, injury and even death: Alcohol can be directly linked to the criminal and violent acts committed and experienced by young people. Cities often see firsthand the damage to private and public property that can result when young people are under the influ- ence of alcohol. Local police departments report that many young people are under the influence of alcohol at the time of arrest. Alcohol consumption also increases the likelihood of being a victim of rape, assault and homicide (Fritner and Rubinson, 1993; Cherpitel, 1993; Muscat and Huncharek, 1991). f•�rr6ss�i ' In L?�tn�e�° 199�, tfle ��ata I-��g,� �c�cas� n�xvs�sap�r c�r��et1 a fCOnt p�-s��S' Ea�ec� "�a�CinFs `tri atccaho�; � ' of�'tc�rs, undercaver p� passitily ccimtr�u�i�ey` vr ___._ __r-- -r_t��.b��: �f�I50I1S. �.1GCCkSe hc]lCL�'. et��nutaged t� educa�e il�h �rtm�ssiair: