Fighting Teen Alcohol Abuse

Businesses showed their support for the township “We Check for 21” campaign Tuesday night as part of Drug and Alcohol Awareness Month.

Each June, restaurants and other liquor serving facilities in town renew their liquor licenses. While their owners signed new licenses, they also signed a pledge stating they would not serve liquor to people less than 21 years old or those without identification.

Several business owners came to the meeting to show support for the campaign and received “We Check for 21” buttons, coasters and window stickers to display in their businesses.

Mayor Janice Mironov said eight in 10 youths consume alcohol before their senior year of high school, a statistic she felt was startling.

“We all know [underage drinking] is an issue nationally and they know it’s important it doesn’t happen in our community,” Mironov said. “We’re working together to [prevent] it.”