Chip Meara, Mercer Council
Recently, Hamilton Township took a bold step to curb underage drinking in the community by passing a juvenile alcohol ordinance making it a violation for minors to consume alcohol on private property. “The Hamilton Alliance Against Substance Abuse has been working long and hard to get this ordinance passed and is to be commended for keeping youth safety a priority issue,” said Barbara Sprechman, Coordinator for the Prevention Coalition of Mercer County. “The goal of this new ordinance,” said Alliance Coordinator Debbie Minnick, “is to drastically reduce underage drinking and to intervene with youth who may be at risk for early alcohol addiction. Underage drinkers are five to seven times more likely to develop a problem with alcohol than if they had waited until the legal age of 21 to drink. We all want to keep our children and adolescents safe and alcohol-free — this ordinance will help to achieve this goal,” Ms. Minnick continued.
When taking a look at data from the NJ Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, the priority substance for treatment admissions in the township’s 18-25 year old population is alcohol. Youth use of alcohol is a serious problem faced by many municipalities throughout the state because it contributes to multiple problems including violence, traffic crashes, high risk sex, criminal behavior, injury, alcohol poisoning and youth suicide. Hamilton Township is the ninth municipality in Mercer County to enact this ordinance.
About Mercer Council — Mercer Council is a 501 © (3) non-profit agency dedicated to preventing alcoholism and substance abuse. Mercer Council actively provides quality alcohol, tobacco and other drug abuse prevention and early intervention services in partnership with individuals, families, schools, communities, businesses and professionals throughout Mercer County.

