Fayette County panel discusses underage drinking

In an effort to increase understanding and awareness of underage drinking in Fayette County, the Fayette County Drug and Alcohol Commission Inc. played host to a town hall meeting recently.

"We're doing prevention in the schools, starting at the first grade," said Charlotte Korba of the FCDAC, just one of the speakers on a panel of experts to testify how underage drinking has crossed their paths.

"You may think that's too early to start (prevention education); it's never too early to start."

Pat Mohan, a representative of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, said young drivers are at risk any time they are on the roads. Add alcohol to the mix and risk factors increase.

"Drunk driving is a crime that is 100 percent preventable," Mohan said.

She said in her eight years with MADD, she's heard enough horror stories. And she knows you don't have to be in the vehicle to be a victim of drunk driving.

"We have to teach everyone who's involved to make the roadways safer for all of us," she said.

Police also have to deal with underage drinking.

"In the last two years, we issued 50 citations for underage drinking," said Uniontown City Police Chief Jason Cox.

Police normally get involved after someone underage drinks, has his decision-making affected and does something illegal, he said.

Mark King of the Fayette County Juvenile Probation Office said parental cooperation is always a big plus when it comes to addressing underage drinking.

District Judge Ronald Haggerty deals with young drinkers after they have been approached by the police. He said the biggest problem is the attitudes held by both the children and their parents.

Haggerty's advice for arresting officers of underage drinkers is to take them to their parents while the minor is still intoxicated, to let the parents see and smell the alcohol on them. That way parents won't convince themselves that police are charging their child falsely.

Haggerty reminded parents that it's against the law to furnish alcohol to minors. It's something parents sometimes forget -- especially with upcoming graduation parties.

"It will happen this graduation year," Haggerty said. "It happens every year."

Phillip Rishel of the Herod Funeral Home in Point Marion has dealt with the end result of underage drinking.

"Seventy-five percent of younger deaths are from drinking," he said.

When the friends of a victim walk away from the casket, many have blank looks on their faces. But Rishel sid he has never heard one say he would change his attitude toward drinking.

Daily Courier