Crime & Safety

Focus Hosts Teen Drinking Panel Tonight

Discussion will cover underage drinking and its legal consequences for those drinking and providing the drinks.

Farmington Focus is tonight hosting a panel discussion about underage drinking, the state and local laws surrounding it and what they mean for parents and teens in our community.

Focus is the town’s local prevention council, which works to reduce underage drinking in Farmington through education, advocacy and public awareness.

On the panel will be Bill Beckert, an attorney and Board of Education member, Farmington Police Chief Paul Melanson, Farmington High School faculty and educators from Freedom From Chemical Dependency, who are presenting workshops at the high school as part of Prevention Works Week. Suzy Whaley, PGA professional and the mother of two FHS students will moderate.

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Christine Galske, who chairs Focus, said the information is important for all parents, regardless of how far removed from teen drinking their children may seem.

“This isn’t new behavior – there’s always been underage drinking, experimentation and drug use – what’s changed are the consequences,” Galske said. “The world around us now has a very different perspective on those activities and what they tolerate in terms of school and the law.”

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Farmington’s town code regarding underage drinking and social hosting are just a few years old. The social hosting law makes it illegal to serve alcohol to minors on private property and illegal for minors to possess alcohol on private property. The law was prompted by an underage drinking party in Devonwood in 2007, according to Farmington Police Lt. Marshall Porter.

This year Farmington police have issued 144 town code violations including possession of alcohol by a minor, hosting and summons. Some of those were issued while teens were driving.

“As a parent, you really can’t stick your head in the sand and hide anymore. You have to be knowledgeable and aware. This panel discussion will give people some information and a chance to dialogue with administrators at Farmington high about things that happen at parties but also on school property.”

And there’s one more benefit parents can gain from tonight’s discussion, Galske said – allies.

“You look around the room and say ‘now I know three people I can call and say hey, I heard this, what do you know about this.’ Now you’ve got some solidarity as a parent.”

The presentation will be tonight from 7 to 9 p.m. in the library. Parents are encouraged to attend.


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