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RIVERTON – The statistics are frightening.
Early alcohol use kills or injures more young people than
all illegal drugs combined - and Wyoming is first in the
nation for the number of children who take their first drink
before age 15.
Those figures and others show how serious Wyoming’s underage
drinking problem is, and should help mobilize communities to
take action, First Lady Nancy Freudenthal said Thursday
following a town hall meeting televised statewide as part of
her initiative to reduce underage drinking.
Freudenthal led a discussion among three panels representing
law enforcement, community activists and youth. Once a
community calls the problem to the table and acknowledges
that change must happen, leaders can brainstorm specific
ways to reduce underage drinking.
Moderated by Wyoming Public Television’s Geoff O’Gara, the
discussion shifted to particular gains and goals in three
key areas.
Law enforcement forges ahead
In many communities, change is happening. Because law
enforcement generally sees the harshest consequences of
underage drinking, law enforcement is often taking a lead in
raising awareness and bringing about change.
Casper police Chief Tom Pagel described alcohol as "the
biggest gateway drug that we deal with." He voiced
frustration that parents shrug off underage drinking, at
least until one of his officers arrives on their door step
in the middle of the night, bearing bad news.
Changing community norms about underage drinking “takes
political courage,” Pagel said, and making the next changes
– abolishing drive-up liquor store windows – will also put
leaders to a test as they “deal with a situation we’ve
allowed to exist for too long.”
Laramie police Commander Jim Kyritsis said high school
graduates from around the state come to University of
Wyoming with ideas that drinking isn't just acceptable, but
expected. “It is absolutely critical that every community in
this state is working on this particular issue,” he said. In
Laramie last year, police contended with 350 arrests for
driving under the influence, and 500 citations for minor in
possession.
Underage drinking is a small-town problem too, as Douglas
police Chief Lori Emmert pointed out. Emmert drove one of
the state’s first town hall meetings, held in December 2004.
Since that time, city officials, courts and others are
examining their practices and finding ways to improve. For
example, the city council eliminated blanket renewal of
liquor licenses and required that employees are trained in
responsible beverage service. And, the police department is
advertising a zero tolerance policy on underage drinking,
which has helped in more ways than one. “Parents are
becoming more supportive of law enforcement, knowing that
the rules apply to everyone,” Emmert said.
Community leaders take a stand
Law enforcement needs help, though, and a panel of community
activists discussed ways religious leaders, educators and
city government officials can gather and share resources.
“We’ve done our best to make it cool to be the good kid,”
Cody CAN (Change Attitudes Now) adult sponsor Deb White
said. “Kids will want to do the right thing if you make it
popular.”
Meanwhile, Jim Elias of Faith Initiatives described ways his
organization is bringing families together to build the
bonds that keep communication open and kids healthy. In a
recent statewide ‘family night’ activity, more than 3,000
families at 70 locations in Wyoming celebrated their
relationships, receiving a family communication toolkit and
lots of encouragement from like-minded folks.
And in local government, Wheatland city council member
Brenda Allen is serving on a Wyoming Association of
Municipalities committee, where she sees a need to educate
local leaders and help them overcome a degree of denial that
teen drinking is such a serious issue. “The leaders will
listen at the local level,” she said.
Teens encourage adults to communicate
A panel of three teens encouraged adults not to lose hope,
and to craft critical lines of communication with young
children. "I think on stuff that really matters, kids will
listen to their parents," Cody teen Sienna White said.
Peer pressure is still a big factor in teen drinking, the
panel agreed. But, in a way, it’s even worse than that. “For
some reason, society tells us underage drinking is okay,”
Cheyenne teen Isaiah Spigner said. “It gives them (teens)
that much more temptation to start drinking.” He encouraged
teens and adults alike to lead by example.
White said positive peer pressure has worked well in Cody,
where a small group of youth has successfully brought the
teen drinking culture 180 degrees. No longer is it ‘cool’ to
party at keggers and talk about how drunk someone was over
the weekend. In fact, close to 80 percent of students in
grades 4 through 12 in Cody have taken a pledge to be
alcohol and drug-free and are members of CAN, she said.
Ryan Archibald of Lincoln County said teens can avoid peer
pressure and stay healthy by getting involved in their
communities or in something as simple as sports, a club or
the drama group.
For those watching at home, Freudenthal hoped parents will
heed the advice of the youth panel and start talking with
their children. "Open those lines of communication. Don't be
afraid to discipline your children," she urged. "Be a parent
first, but be a friend your child can go to."
By the next morning, WFLI coordinator Sharon Guerney had
several emails with questions on underage drinking. Most
centered on liquor license holders’ compliance, and concerns
about parents providing alcohol for teens and not being held
accountable. “People are paying attention and asking those
kinds of questions,” Guerney said.
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