Municipal Alliance Now Benefits from Teen Perspective on Alcohol and Drug Use

Last summer, the township's Municipal Alliance against substance abuse was trying to gain insight into the pressures local adolescents face to begin drinking alcohol or using drugs.

"We found ourselves speculating and musing about what was going on in the minds of teenagers in our town with regard to drugs and alcohol when we asked ourselves — why don't we hear directly from them?" said John Carpenter, Township Committee Member and chairman of the Bernards Township Municipal Alliance. The organization is dedicated to the prevention of drug and alcohol abuse.

That's when the organization made the decision to initiate an amendment to the ordinance which determines who will serve on the Municipal Alliance to include teenage members who could offer insight into the world of the audience they were trying to reach.

In November, two Ridge High School students, Caitlin Murphy, 17 and Hannah Evelyn, 14, were appointed to the alliance. Since then they have attended two meetings. 

"Gaining the perspective of these teens will help us with our mission to engage students and parents and raise awareness," Carpenter said.

Currently the alliance is reaching out through its program called 'It's 21 for a Reason,' an initiative that was prompted by information presented by Dr. Barbara Bush, Psy.D., Student Assistance Counselor at William Annin Middle School. 

"From her presentation we learned that the brain doesn't finish developing until age 25. When young people begin drinking earlier that the age of 21, they have a 40 percent chance of becoming addicted to drinking," said Carpenter.

In late October, the Municipal Alliance sponsored a presentation by Matt Bellace, Ph.D.,a motivational speaker who employs humorous and entertaining stories about his own life to help parents and youth understand the impact of alcohol and drug use.

Murphy, a junior at Ridge High School, in early December  to the Alliance and a letter to Basking Ridge Patch.com about her passion for raising awareness about teen drug and alcohol abuse.

Bellace's presentation kicked off the Alliance's new campaign. He also spoke about the effects of these substances on the brain and emotions and explored the options for enjoying life without relying on addictive substances to enhance the experience.

In her letter to Patch, Murphy wrote, "It is reported that the average age in which Bernards Township youth begin to consume alcohol is 14, and the statistics for consumption only grow as the age's progress, with nearly 65 percent of Bernards Township 12th graders reporting to have consumed alcohol in the last month," said Murphy in her letter.

"Drinking alcohol during these crucial years of development can have a substantial impact on the brain as well as the body; restricting activity on the areas of the brain that are crucial in forming memories and making good judgments as well as hindering athletic ability," said Murphy.

Murphy, who plans to attend college to prepare for a career as a communicator in public health and patient advocacy, said she is passionate about helping fellow teens gain awareness about how drugs and alcohol use could adversely affect their lives.

"I would have liked to be a doctor, but I feel that I could have more of an impact communicating the problems that need to be solved," said Murphy.

With regard to her role on the alliance, Murphy said, "I understand the problems and the magnitude. This is not an artificial problem anymore. It's concrete, it's happening and it has a serious impact on students and parents."

"There is a lot of pressure to do well here at Ridge High School. And some kids don't have the coping skills, so they go to parties and get involved in drugs and alcohol because it helps them relax," said Murphy.

While Murphy said she doesn't know anyone who has had an accident or died from the use of drugs or alcohol, she has heard the stories and observed how the use of these substances can ruin the chances for academic and athletic success and change the course of a teenager's life.

For Murphy, the answer lies is more effective communication.

"I think parents need to learn how to communicate better with their teens and have the courage to set clear boundaries," said Murphy.

Murphy also believes that by finding ways to communicate how drinking and drug use can affect one's ability to compete, might be more effective in reaching Ridge students who are known to be highly competitive.

Murphy said she believes that if teens really understood the negative effects of drug and alcohol use, they might be motivated to say no.

"Matt Bellace presented some startling facts such as — one night of heavy drinking can set an athlete back 14 days," said Murphy.

Murphy and the other member of the Municipal Alliance recognize that the lure of alcohol and drugs will not disappear overnight.

"We know that the challenge we face is enormous, but over time, we can make a difference," said Carpenter.

Murphy recognizes too that this is a decades old problem. She said, "In many ways it's really going to take a cultural revolution."

The Municipal Alliance meets at 6 p.m. on the first Tuesday of every month in the conference room at the township municipal building at 1 Collyer Lane. Anyone with ideas about how to get the group's message out is welcomed to attend.