Goal of meeting: Put a stop to underage drinking

By Staff
From staff reports
Franklin County Community Education in Russellville became one of hundreds of communities nationwide that held a Town Hall Meeting last week to alert the community to new research on the risks of underage drinking and empower the community to take action to stop it.
The Federal government's Interagency Coordinating Committee for the Prevention of Underage Drinking is supporting Town Hall Meetings that are taking place in communities across America.
The Town Hall Meeting educated parents, teachers, officials, youth, and other community members about the impact underage drinking has on the community. Together, they discussed possible ways to address the issue.
Underage drinking is an important community concern. New data show that 29 percent of the nation's youth ages 12 to 20 have used alcohol illegally.
For more information on the prevention underage drinking see : stopalcoholabuse.gov.
Research indicates that families exert a great deal of influence on whether a child uses alcohol later in life.
SAMHSA reports that children and teens are less likely to abuse alcohol if parents are involved in their children's lives, make and enforce clear rules, and are positive role models.