Emma Mattson, an eighth grader from the Galloway Township Middle School, took first place in the JTAC underage drinking PSA contest.
ABSECON – Join Together Atlantic County, a countywide substance misuse prevention coalition, held an underage drinking PSA contest for sixth through eighth graders in Atlantic County. The theme of the contest was to provide a message to parents about the dangers of underage drinking or providing alcohol to those under 21.
The first-place winner is Emma Mattson, an eighth grader from the Galloway Township Middle School. Her submission will be turned into a billboard and she also received a gift card.
JTAC commended all of the middle school students who participated in the contest and the powerful messages they created about underage drinking. By participating in the contest, youth have helped to support Join Together Atlantic County in their mission to prevent, reduce and/or delay substance use among youth of Atlantic County in a long term and sustainable manner.
Students who participated learned that the younger a person starts drinking, the more likely he or she is to have alcohol problems later in life.
Research shows that people who start drinking before the age of 15 are four times more likely to meet the criteria for alcohol dependence at some point in their lives (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism). The brain is still forming in teenagers and teen drinking can cause permanent brain damage. Most young people do not drink alcohol. It is estimated that in 2018 only 9.0 percent of adolescents aged 12 to 17 were current alcohol users (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration). Providing alcohol to those under 21 is illegal and can result in six months in the county jail, up to a $1,000.00 fine, and a permanent criminal charge on your record if convicted.
