Spring Edition

PARENTS ARE A POWERFUL TOOL TO PREVENT UNDERAGE DRINKING

April 2012

On Page Two:

Calling for Less Violent Crime in San Diego

The ABCs of Stopping

Underage Drinking at a Stadium Event

North City Prevention Coalition Provides technical assistance to communities on issues involving Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs

From the Medicine Cabinet to Street Drugs?

Simple economics may be creating more heroin addicts in San Diego County.

Over a five year period, the number of young people being treated for heroin addiction has tripled in the county’s drug treatment system. That increase occurred among people be-tween 18 and 24 years old. And heroin is relatively cheap compared to the painkiller Oxy-contin, which has a street value of up to $80 per tablet.

Connecting the dots: As prescription drug abuse becomes more common, some users may be turning to heroin.

Parents who believe their child might have a drug problem and adults with substance

abuse issues should call the County’s Access and Crisis Line at (888) 724-7240.

NCPC NEWS

North City Prevention Coalition Staff

Sheri Easterly, Program Manager seaserly@saysandiego.org

Kathleen Lippitt, MPH ATOD Prevention Specialist, klippitt@saysandiego.org

Stacy Woods, Youth Organizer, swoods@saysandiego.org

Rob Hall, Media Specialist rhall@saysandiego.org

When it comes to preventing un-derage drinking, parents have more power than anyone else....but how do you get them involved?

Some Serra High school students are part of a project aimed at starting conversations between teens and parents, using signs in stores and restaurants around San Diego. The signs can get a conversation started, especially when a family’s sitting down to dinner together in a restaurant.

“Our messages on restaurant tables encourage parents to talk to their kids about living alcohol- and drug free,” said Perla Tapai. She spoke at a news conference kicking off this year’s campaign, which is called “Parents: A Powerful Tool to Prevent Underage Drinking.” City Councilmember Marti Emerald also spoke at the kickoff event, which was covered by most of the TV news stations in San Diego.

Serra student Adri Evans also talked to reporters at the kickoff event.

(see “Parents” on page two)

City Councilmember Marti Emerald and youth at kickoff news event

“We leave PB to go out to dinner be-cause, on the weekend, Garnet turns into a drunkfest, generating crime and DUIs,” she told the Beach & Bay Press.

Residents of PB,

North Park and

Hillcrest want city

leaders to estab-

lish local control over alcohol li-

censes, as most other California cit-

ies have done. The goal is to revital-

ize neighborhoods by

making them safer.

As Jolley put it, “I’m

here tonight because I

want my business dis-

trict back.”

Last year, Pacific Beach and North Park each had about five times as many violent crimes as the average San Diego neighborhood. Many of those crimes involved rowdy bar pa-trons.

The situation prompted peaceful demonstrations in those communities last month. At the “Walk for a Safer PB,” Cathie Jolley said irresponsible bars have caused big problems.

“According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving, 74 percent of kids turn to their parents for guidance on drinking,” Ev-ans explained. “Parents are a powerful tool in preventing underage drinking. But how many parents take the time to talk to their kids about alcohol?”

“We decided to connect with parents the same way food companies, toy companies, and even beer companies do it—by advertising,” Evans said.

The ads took the form of signs featuring pictures of local teens, along with mes-sages aimed at parents. This cam-paign was started by the Mid-City Latino Youth Council three years ago. Last year, they were joined by mem-bers of the Elevated Student Relations

Committee at Serra High.

Students from both groups went to local businesses, and asked for help in the campaign. This year, more than twenty markets, convenience stores, and res-taurants joined in.

Serra student Divora Ghebremariam

said the signs, in English and Spanish,

carry a clear message to parents about

stopping underage drinking: “Take re-

sponsibility. Talking to us makes a dif-

ference.”

Find us on Facebook: Parents are a

powerful tool to prevent underage

drinking

Executive Director of MADD San Diego County, praised the work of the state Alcoholic Beverage Control de-partment in organizing a special law enforcement operation at the annual Supercross event on February 11th.

The ABC says 86 people were ar-

rested at the event, and most viola-

“Supercross is outstanding family entertainment. It’s an all-day event and tailgating is part of the fun. How-ever, because this event draws a younger crowd, there are some prob-lems with underage drinking in the parking lot.”

That’s what Eloisa Orozco wrote in the North County Times. Orozco, the

tions involved minors and alcohol.

“Enforcement helps deter underage

drinking, and prevent alcohol-related

problems in the future. That’s why

today’s work by the ABC and other

police agencies is so important,” ac-

cording to Orozco.

Calling for Less Violent Crime in San Diego

PARENTS (from page one)

Keeping it Safe at Supercross

PAGE 2 SPRING EDITION

“I’m here tonight

because I want my

business district

back.”

NCPC NEWS