As prevention advocate and Healthy Androscoggin Project Unite! member, I have concerns about L.D. 903, “An Act to Strengthen the Penalties for Sales to Minors and/or Purchases by Minors of Alcoholic Beverages,” which would require driver’s license suspension for adults caught providing alcohol to minors and for minors who are caught in possession of or trying to purchase alcohol. We know that well-designed strategic enforcement of our current laws works. I feel that rather than creating a new penalty, there would be more value in supporting efforts to increase the effectiveness of enforcing current underage drinking and furnishing related laws.

As an example, when the Piscataquis County Sheriff’s Office implemented a comprehensive underage drinking enforcement strategy, their results were dramatic.

Not only did students’ perception that underage drinkers were likely to be caught increase, but 30-day alcohol use and binge drinking rates decreased from previous years, and their rates are now lower than the state average.

Locally, Project Unite! has strengthened relationships between the prevention community, concerned parents and local police departments. The goal of Project Unite! is reducing youth substance use by increasing awareness of the dangers, enforcing the law regarding alcohol, tobacco and other drugs, and providing an alternative to court for first-time juvenile offenders.

We appreciate that the issue of underage drinking is receiving attention and feel that our best solution would be to support efforts to increase the effectiveness of enforcement.

Kayla Mae Bailey, Project Unite! committee member, New Gloucester

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