Trenton
– Attorney General Anne Milgram and
Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control Director
Jerry Fischer today announced the kickoff
of the second-annual program for high school
seniors designed to increase their awareness
about the dangers of underage drinking during
the upcoming prom and graduation seasons.
Entitled
“Proms and Alcohol Don’t Mix,”
this innovative initiative asks high school
seniors to create scripts for 30-second
television public service announcements.
The winning spot will be produced and distributed
to local television stations. The winning
school’s students will have a chance
to appear in the spot or assist in its production
or editing. A number of additional entries
will also be chosen as runner-ups. Students
who participate in developing the winning
entry and the runner-up entries will be
invited to a special party in their honor
at Drumthwacket, the Governor’s residence,
in Princeton.
“With
prom and graduation seasons rapidly approaching,
my office wants to ensure that high school
seniors celebrate safely,” Attorney
General Milgram said. “We hope this
project will help save precious lives by
causing our students to focus on the dangers
of underage drinking.”
“We
are grateful for the assistance of the Department
of Education and Commissioner Lucille Davy
in getting this project out to the schools,”
Milgram added.
According
to the Center for Disease Control, using
alcohol before age 15 makes youths four
times more likely to become alcohol dependent
than adults who begin drinking at age 21.
Increased risky sexual behaviors, poor school
performance, and increased risk of suicide
and homicide are additional consequences
of youth alcohol use.
A
2005 study conducted by the Department of
Human Services determined that approximately
10.8 million persons aged 12 to 20 reported
drinking alcohol in the past 30 days. Nearly
7.2 million (18.8 percent) were binge drinkers,
and 2.3 million (6.0 percent) were heavy
drinkers. These figures have remained essentially
the same since the 2002 survey. The study
found that, in the 12-20 age category, more
males than females reported current alcohol
use, binge drinking, and heavy drinking.”
ABC
Director Fischer noted that this effort
will provide one more tool in the State’s
fight against underage drinking.
“The
Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control is
working to combat underage alcohol use on
many different fronts,” Director Fischer
said. “By using public education programs,
community awareness efforts and law enforcement
initiatives, we can create an environment
that keeps young people free from the tragedies
often associated with underage drinking.”
This
past June, a script developed by high school
students from the Cicely Tyson School of
Performing and Fine Arts, located in East
Orange, was selected from more than 50 entries
as the 2007 grand-prize winner in the competition.
A
letter was sent to all high school principals
this week, asking the schools to have their
senior students work together on teams to
develop the television scripts. The scripts
must reflect originality and creativity,
and must be easily produced. Details of
each “scene,” such as location,
time, and specific dialogue, must be included
in the entries.
Scripts
must be submitted to the Division of Alcoholic
Beverage Control no later then Friday, March
28. The winning entry will be selected in
April, and production will begin immediately.
Program criteria are available on the Division’s
website, at www.nj.gov/lps/abc.
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