Local youth, police kick off underage drinking campaign
The Arlington Heights Police Department, in cooperation with the Link Together Coalition and the Buffalo Grove, Prospect Heights, Mount Prospect and Wheeling police departments, kicked off the "Your Actions Matter!" campaign, which is a youth-led initiative designed to change adult attitudes about giving alcohol to minors.
Locally, the event took place Monday, March 9.
This event focused on educating the public about why providing alcohol to minors is not only unsafe, but also illegal, and is part of the upcoming National Prevention Week, which will take place May 10-16.
Local high school and middle school students are part of a movement of youth working with participating stores to spread the word that "Your Actions Matter!"
Students, along with Arlington Heights, Buffalo Grove, Prospect Heights, Mount Prospect and Wheeling police officers, placed bottle hangers and posters in participating businesses that sell liquor. The campaign materials serve as a reminder that preventing underage drinking is everyone's responsibility.
A strong community message is sent when local businesses take responsibility for speaking out against underage drinking. Allowing minors to consume alcohol in your home, or any place under your control, carries the same penalties under the law as furnishing the alcohol, even if you don't supply the alcohol.
It is important to remember that providing alcohol to minors, or allowing them to drink in a place under your control, is against the law all year round.
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