WS Chronicle

Members from the state Alcoholic Beverage Commission (ABC), Highway Patrol, Forsyth County Judicial and District Attorney’s office, and others discussed the statewide initiative to reduce underage drinking amid graduation and prom season at the Talk It Out panel discussion on Tuesday, April 28, at the Forsyth County Cooperative Extension Service office.

N.C. ABC Commission and the Forsyth County District Attorney’s Office announced their new Talk It Out program for those charged with underage drinking on Dec. 18.

Talk It Out also includes education and awareness components aimed at the general teen population, funded by the ABC Commission, that includes commercials and a website, talkitoutnc.org.

“Forsyth County 4-H is committed to equipping youth with the critical tools and resources to be conscious participants in making good choices regarding underage drinking and a healthy lifestyle,” said Shanika Gray, Forsyth County 4-H Youth Development Extension agent. “We are not just shining a light on the issue of underage drinking; we are seeking solutions through collaborative partnerships. Starting the conversation within families is imperative as we move into the season of prom, graduation and senior beach trips. We want our youth aware of the legal implications, as well as health consequences associated with underage drinking and driving.”

The panel was made up of Forsyth County District Attorney James R. O’Neil; Hope Walker from the N.C. ABC Commission; District Court Judge Denise Hartsfield from Reclaiming Futures Juvenile Drug Court; Dr. Sam Gray, vice president of program development at Insight Human Services; and Trooper S.B. Marshall from the state Highway Patrol.

“We have an underage drinking problem in the state of North Carolina and the Talk it Out campaign is doing something about it,” Walker said. “Kids want to talk about it and they don’t just want their parents or guardians to say no. They want to understand why, the consequences and just want to talk about it. We are providing the resources and the tools on our website for the parents, teacher, community leader or whomever so they can start these conversations with these kids.”

In 2014, Gov. Pat McCrory issued an executive order asking the ABC Commission to address the issue of underage drinking in North Carolina. An extensive, statewide quantitative and qualitative research effort was conducted by interviewing middle- and high-school-aged children and their parents.

The study showed that 87 percent of the children say underage drinking is a problem while only 37 percent of parents say it’s a big problem. The majority of parents don’t feel confident enough to talk with their own children about underage drinking while the students would like to talk with them but are afraid to initiate the conversation, according to the study.

Next, a multimedia campaign was launched through television, radio, billboards and social media to make parents aware of the problem and urged them to talk to their children, a message that Gray emphasized.

“What we encourage our families and children to do is to spend a lot of time with your children, pay attention to what’s going on in their lives, have conversations with them about drinking, and don’t let it go without talking about it,” he said.

“On the treatment side, we focus on having them make healthy, helpful decisions during a time when they have a hard time making decisions.”

Winston-Salem Police Chief Barry Rountree said he feels the campaign is a good thing and the police department is already a partner, especially during prom season.

“It’s very important for us to be involved as law enforcement officials because we see the effects and the after effects of what underage drinking can do to young people in our community,” he said.

“We always do different campaigns across the city. It is prom season. It’s also graduation season, so we will be out with our educational programs and stepping up our enforcement.”

“Talk It Out Part II: The Keys of Life” will be Wednesday, May 27, from 9 a.m. to noon at North Forsyth High School, 5705 Shattalon Drive. For more information on the event, call 336-703-2856.

If you want to become part of the Talk It Out initiative, contact coalitions@talkitoutnc.org.

Underage drinking by the numbers

*87 percent of NC middle/high school aged children say underage drinking is a problem

*58 percent of kids say it’s a big problem

*Only 37 percent of parents say underage drinking is a big problem

*Two people a week lose their lives to underage drinking

*62 percent of parents believe they are not fully prepared with information/resources to properly address the issue

*13.9 years old is the average age for trying alcohol

*91 percent of middle school students feel that parents talking with them more would stop underage drinking

Source: N.C. Alcoholic Beverage Commission study