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| 18 January 2001 - The San Diego Union-Tribune Underage drinking no rite of passage Re: Your Jan 10 story, "Alcohol crackdown deemed a success:" I wish to congratulate the Sheriffs Department for its proactive campaign to crack down on underage drinking and those who provide alcohol to youths. The number of arrests and citations resulting from this crackdown is a reflection of the sizable problem regarding minors obtaining and consuming alcohol. However, it is important to remember the actual problem results from a pro-alcohol social norm that exists in the minds of many adults. We have for a long time related underage drinking to a "rite of passage." The result has been that we now accept a behavior, which is a serious health and safety threat to our youth. Law enforcement agencies do a commendable job in attempting to stem the flow of alcohol into the hands of youths. But this cannot be a law enforcement effort alone. We have in many instances focused the effort to control the flow of illicit drugs into our communities by concentrating on supply and we cannot make the same mistake regarding alcohol and youth. At some point we must address the demand issues. Communities must get involved in the difficult task of changing community norms and attitudes related to this problem MIKE NEWELL, Communities Against Substance Abuse Santee Article Snapshot (31K) |
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