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SKOWHEGAN — Somerset Public Health has issued a reminder to students, parents, friends and other family members to remember to “party sober” as prom, graduation season and summer arrive.
“Well-intentioned adults, hoping to prevent drunk driving, host underage drinking parties and collect keys to celebrate their child’s accomplishments,” said a news release from the organization.
“While this can prevent drinking and driving, it also sends the wrong message. When adults allow minors to consume alcohol or other drugs in their presence or knowingly without an adult present, it lowers their perception of risk, creates a belief that their parents think it is ok for them to use substances, gives a false message that there are no consequences to their substance use, and that the use of substances are an important part of having a good time.”
According to Somerset Public Health, about 21 percent of high school students in Somerset County have consumed alcohol in the last 30 days and of those, nearly 40 percent engaged in binge drinking. Nearly 59 percent of high school students surveyed said it would be easy to get alcohol and roughly 43 percent of students did not feel they would get caught by their parents if they did drink.
“Our communities are faced with serious substance use problems and we need to let our young adults know that we are proud of them and that they matter,” SPH said. “We do not need to do this by giving them alcohol or other drugs and sending the message that substances are needed to have a good time.”
Somerset Public Health also congratulated all of the county’s graduates. “Well done!”
For more information on how to be part of substance use prevention, contact Danielle Denis, project coordinator, at ddenis@rfgh.net or Rob Rogers, project director, at rrogers@kbhmaine.org.
