Handlin saluted for shining light on drinking problem

I would like to publicly thank state Assemblywoman Amy Handlin for bringing attention to the underage drinking situation at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel. Underage drinking at this venue has gotten to be a public health issue and is totally out of hand. We all need to see underage drinking as it really is - illegal, unacceptable and unhealthy.

We now know that the human brain is not fully formed until somewhere between the ages of 21 and 25 (National Institute on Drug Abuse). Introducing alcohol into the still developing brain can cause permanent changes in the brain's structure, making it more susceptible to addiction. This is why it is much easier and takes less time for a child to become addicted to alcohol and other drugs than an adult. It can also result in permanent brain damage, impacting the part of the brain where new learning is stored into long-term memory.

The convoluted thinking that drinking is somehow a "rite of passage" and that "all kids do it" is dangerous and sends a mixed message to kids that it's OK to drink. Many parents don't realize that kids today are very aggressive drinkers - binge drinking is now the norm, and unfortunately, alcohol poisoning can be the result (did anyone notice how many children were sent to the hospital after the Gwen Stefani concert with alcohol-related emergencies?)

It's time to stand up and be counted on this issue. Amy Handlin has done the people of Monmouth County a tremendous service by shining the light on this situation. I hope parents will think twice before allowing their teens to attend concerts unsupervised at the PNC Bank Arts Center, and more importantly, I hope they will send a firm message to their children not to drink before the legal age of 21.

Barbara Sprechman

Director of Community Services

Prevention First

Coordinator of the

Underage Drinking Coalition

of Monmouth County

Ocean Township