FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 18, 2005
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Senate & House Panels Hold 3rd in a Series of Statewide Hearings on Underage Drinking

HARRISBURG -- Members of the Senate Law and Justice Committee and House Liquor Control Committee held a joint meeting today at the state Capitol in Harrisburg to seek input on how to address the growing problem of underage drinking.

Senator John Rafferty (R-44), chairman of the Senate Law and Justice Committee, said the joint Senate/House hearing is the third in a series of statewide meetings on how to prevent underage drinking.

The senators heard testimony from speakers on a number of issues including, health risks to underage drinkers, statistics on alcohol-related fatalities to teenagers, making it harder for teenagers to gain access to alcohol, binge drinking, keg registration, and public education efforts.

Among those who testified were representatives from organizations such as Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD), Pennsylvanians Against Underage Drinking, Students Against Drunk Drivers (SADD), Drug Free Pennsylvania, PA State System of Higher Education, the Clinton County District Attorney and other experts.

Clinton County District Attorney Ted McKnight provided a detailed presentation describing how the $116 billion a year alcohol industry uses advertising to lure teenagers into drinking before they reach the legal age.

McKnight's alarming statistics said that approximately 85 percent of high school seniors drink alcohol and that most youth have their first alcoholic drink at the age of 12.  Additionally, the number of high school students going to school drunk is on the rise.

"There is tremendous denial in this country about this issue," said McKnight.

Senator Rafferty said he attributes a significant portion of underage drinking to adults that are supplying alcoholic products to teenagers.

To prove how easy it is for minors to obtain alcohol through adults, Camp Hill High School student Jake June and George Washington University student Jacqueline Hackett arrived at the hearing with a keg of beer, showing the committees how easy it was for them to illegally acquire alcohol from an adult.  Both students are under the legal drinking age.

"Underage drinking is an epidemic plaguing our youth, which incredibly enough, the adults, especially parents, choose to ignore," said McKnight.

Rafferty is sponsoring two pieces of legislation to combat underage drinking, including a measure to suspend driver's licenses of adults who furnish alcohol to minors and a bill to require all colleges, universities and community colleges to have a written alcohol policy, including counseling and penalties for underage drinking.

Others testifying said that more efforts need to be made to stop this growing health threat.

"We as lawmakers need to explore all available options in an effort to curtail underage drinking," said Rafferty.  "Pennsylvania needs to be at the forefront on this important battle."

Rafferty said the Senate Law and Justice Committee and House Liquor Control Committee plans to hold another major hearing in the greater Pittsburgh area in the months ahead.  He said the panels are seeking public input on the problem and proposed solutions from educators, representatives of MADD, SADD, Pennsylvanians Against Underage Drinking, Drug Free Pennsylvania, law enforcement officials and parents.

CONTACT: Mark Meyer 717-787-1398