RIH Teens, Municipal Alliances Plan 'Sticker Shock' Campaign

Students from Ramapo and Indian Hills high schools will take part in Project Sticker Shock, coordinated by the FLOW Municipal Alliances, next Tuesday.

The campaign, sponsored by the Center for Alcohol and Drug Resources, will see teams of youths placing stickers on multi-packs of alcoholic beverages reminding consumers of the legal ramifications of providing alcohol to minors.

The RIH students will conduct the campaign at the Midland Park A&P, 136 Lake Ave., at 4 p.m.

According to a 2004 study sponsored by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, more than 94 percent of 12th-graders, 84 percent of 10th-graders and 65 percent of eighth-graders report that alcohol is "very easy" or "fairly easy" to get, and a recent American Medical Association poll showed that adults are the most common source of alcohol for teens.

"Underage drinking has damaging consequences, including visits to the hospital emergency room, arrests and injuries sustained in car accidents," said Ellen Elias, director of The Center for Alcohol and Drug Resources and vice president, prevention and addiction services, for Children's Aid and Family Services.

"As a community, we strive to keep our young people safe, and an effective and important way of achieving this goal is by not providing alcohol to those under 21. The Sticker Shock campaign is a reminder to those who purchase alcohol that it is illegal to provide it to underage youth. What's more, purchasers can face serious consequences for disregarding the law."