Town Hall Meeting Focuses on Teen Drinking

People who start drinking before the age of 15 are more than six times more likely to develop alcohol problems than those who don’t drink until after they are 21.

The Doylestown-based Council of Southeast Pennsylvania, Inc., invites parents and other community members to “Start Talking Before They Start Drinking” on Thursday, May 31, from 7 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. at Maple Point Middle School, 2250 Langhorne-Yardley Rd., Langhorne.
 
This town hall meeting on underage drinking will feature “This Place,” a 15-minute film that dramatically captures today’s youth drinking culture and the impact of underage drinking.

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), more young people use alcohol than any other drug, including tobacco and marijuana. In 2010, some 10 million 12- to 20-year-olds - more than one in four - reported drinking alcohol.
 
The program will also include a panel presentation and question-and-answer period. The panel will be comprised of representatives from law enforcement, the medical community, a prevention specialist, a person in recovery, a parent and a concerned youth.
 
The program is sponsored by The Council of Southeast Pennsylvania and hosted by Neshaminy School District. Funding is provided by SAMHSA.
 
The program is free, and the public is invited. For information, contact David Fialko, prevention specialist, at 215-230-8218, ext. 3162, or email dfialko@councilsepa.org.
 
For more information on the SAMHSA town hall meetings, visit www.stopalcoholabuse.gov/townhallmeetings/.