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Bernards teens find parents primary contributors to teen alcohol, drug abuse problems

MaryLynn Schiavi
@MaryLynnSchiavi
  • RAAD determined that the biggest problem was parents allowing alcohol usage in their homes for teenagers.
  • “I have seen first-hand parents partying with their children,” said Samantha Harris, a member of RAAD.
  • ‘Out of the Mouths of Teens’ will be held on Thursday, April 9 from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Bernards Township Town Hall.

As part of their mission to educate the community about the dangers of teen alcohol and drug abuse, in an uncommon role reversal, a group of Bernards Township teens seek to enlighten adults and parents about how they are contributing to the problem in a presentation called “Out of the Mouths of Teens.”

This year, Ridge Against Alcohol & Drugs (RAAD), a youth leadership group based in Bernards, determined that the leading problem in the township’s war on drugs resides with parents and other adults serving alcohol or allowing alcohol usage in their homes for teenagers to consume.

“Parents are either turning a blind eye or letting this happen to their children. I have seen first-hand parents partying with their children,” said Samantha Harris, a member of RAAD and student representative serving on the Bernards Township Municipal Alliance.

“Out of the Mouths of Teens” will be conducted on Thursday from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Bernards Township Town Hall.

The program will include a video presentation highlighting the perspectives of Bernards Township students, a live role play about enabling behaviors, a panel presentation and updated data and information about the effects of alcohol and drugs on the developing brain, as well as presentations by local experts.

Harris said, “I just want people to realize what is happening is not healthy for our community. All over the place there is addiction, peer pressure, etc. but in a town like this, with so many opportunities, kids risk it all just to have a good time, and most parents let it happen,” she said.

Harris is passionate about raising awareness in the community because in her view, the problem is escalating.

“Parents think that it will never happen to their kid or their kid is smart about this stuff but even with multiple overdoses in recent Ridge graduates no one is actually trying to stop this problem, which is why I am glad I am in RAAD because I am someone trying to stop this,” she said.

David Holmes, co-president of RAAD, agrees with Harris and also is concerned that action is not being taken quickly enough.

“It shouldn’t take a disaster of some kind to finally get the community to pay attention to the growing drug and alcohol issues in town,” Holmes said.

Holmes said he believes that teens turn to drugs and alcohol for a plethora of reasons.

“The biggest, I believe, is stress. Especially at Ridge High School, the student body faces enormous pressure to maintain good grades, perform well in athletics and live up to the standards of their friends and parents,” Holmes said.

From his perspective, the students are looking for an easy way to relax and unwind.

“To many, there is nothing easier to do than to smoke a blunt or take a few shots of vodka and all of their stresses disappear. In addition, once with friends, peer pressure often causes people to drink or use drugs so they are not seen as an outcast of their friend group,” Holmes said.

He and Harris said they hope the presentation will have an impact.

“I see the program as a way to show kids who are on the fence about drinking and those who are against it, that there are other teenagers like them. Society makes it seem that every teenager is going out nightly and getting high and drunk,” Holmes said.

Harris said she hopes that the “Out of the Mouths of Teens” presentation will serve to inspire township teens.

She said,, “I hope it will help kids make it through these years without drinking or drugging. I hope that our panel discussion will shed light on what happens year by year in high school and our 21 For a Reason Campaign will inspire those who attend to join our fight to end this in our community.”

“Out of the Mouth of Teens” was inspired by RAAD’s action plan, which the team developed during its annual weeklong leadership conference with the Lindsey Meyer Teen Institute (LMTI).

LMTI offers teen groups from around the state the opportunity to learn peer-to-peer leadership skills to create community level change in their individual towns.

The Bernards Township Municipal Alliance is sponsoring the event in partnership with Ridge High School and William Annin Middle School Parent Teacher Organizations and the Bernards Township School District.

Since 2010, the Bernards Township Municipal Alliance has been focused on promoting the “It’s 21 for a Reason” program. “It’s 21 for a Reason” uses current research on adolescent brains, myths and beliefs about adolescent alcohol usage, and local statistics to inform community members about the dangers of underage drinking.

According to data collected by the Municipal Alliance, 42 percent of the Bernards Township students who have used alcohol in the past 12 months consumed it at a home with parents’ knowledge of its use.

Thirty-nine percent consumed alcohol at home without parents knowing, which means the majority of Bernards Township students that have used alcohol at home has been with parental awareness, according to Lucy Forgione, Bernards Township health officer.

“We are presenting up-to-date, accurate information about the developing adolescent brain, but we are not the ones presenting it. This is giving teens in our town a strong platform to speak and a chance to tell us about what they think about issues that affect them; like drugs, alcohol, pressure, school, in their own words,” Forgione said.