PARIS – A meeting will be held April 1 to talk about preventing underage drinking in Oxford County.

“There are things that they can do,” Joan Churchill of Community Concepts said recently when asked why it’s important that people attend. The meeting is one of hundreds being held across the country to discuss the issue.

Data taken from 2000 and 2006 Maine Youth Drug and Alcohol surveys released by Healthy Oxford Hills show that 75 percent of Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School students have tried alcohol by the time they are seniors, and 17 percent of sixth-graders had tried it.

Another survey was conducted in February and Churchill said the results of that survey are expected in August. Although she and others believe the numbers will show a decrease in youth drinking, she said they are fearful they will see an increase in youth taking prescription opiates that are intended for others.

“We’re hoping to see the continued downward trend of alcohol, marijuana and tobacco use,” Churchill said. She said Maine has done extensive prevention work and it seems to be paying off.

National statistics show that approximately 29 percent of youth ages 12 to 20 have used alcohol by the time they reached eighth grade, 41 percent have had at least one drink, and almost 20 percent report getting drunk.

Churchill said that Tuesday’s session, which begins at 6 p.m. at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School in Paris, will feature state Public Safety Commissioner Anne Jordan speaking on statewide and national perspectives on the issue. Local law enforcement, counselors, students and parents will talk about how people can make positive changes in their community. Participants will have a chance to gather in small groups to develop strategies to address underage drinking.

Kathryn Gardner, substance abuse prevention coordinator at Healthy Oxford Hills, said Thursday that a report will be coming out about a week after the session that will explain work done on the report and community efforts that have sprung up as a reaction to the statistics.