The holiday season is a time to gather and have fun with friends and family. Unfortunately it is also the time of year when we often experience avoidable community tragedies involving alcohol.
“Underage drinking parties are all too common here in Novato. They happen almost every weekend, putting youth at risk for alcohol poisoning, injury, sexual assault, fights, and car crashes among other risks. Limiting social availability of alcohol to minors is an important research-based strategy for reducing underage drinking. This why Novato, like many other communities across the county and the nation, is taking action in trying to reduce these parties, a primary source of alcohol for youth, from occurring,” says Bill Welch, resident and Co-Chair of the Novato Blue Ribbon Coalition for Youth (NBRC4Y).
The Social Host Ordinance Campaign brings awareness to Novato’s underage drinking parties and how community members can help law enforcement by reporting them. The campaign also brings forth the voice of a parent who does not appreciate other adults providing alcohol to their child. The campaign is launching this month with ads at local bus stops, the local newspapers, and social media. This effort has been developed in collaboration with local partners, as well as the Joint Coalitions of Marin.
According to the Social Host Ordinance a party is a gathering of 2 or more youth under 21. The Ordinance can hold both the parent and youth to be accountable for high fines and potential criminal charges. Novato police department takes these parties very seriously and is actively enforcing the Social Host Ordinance.
“The Novato Police Department wants to promote awareness within the community about the Social Host Ordinance. We have zero tolerance for adults who furnish alcohol or host youth alcohol parties. No one should ever allow minors to drink because of the risks and the legal trouble they can get into. It is not worth it.”, said Lt. Jennifer Welch from the Novato PD. “We encourage anyone who knows about and underage drinking party to report it to us. Picking up the phone could save a life.”
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Sometimes parents think it is safer to let kids drink at home in a supervised setting because it keeps them from drinking and driving or teaches them how to drink responsibly. What they don’t realize that mixing youth and alcohol is risky in any setting, and too often increases the likelihood that the youth will drink alcohol in other unsupervised situations in the future.
"As a parent who is actively working toward keeping my children safe and sober, I find it difficult when parents here in Novato allow alcohol and/or drugs to be used in their homes,” says Kessa Early who is featured in one of the bus stop ads. She challenges other parents, “If all parents would make a commitment and take a pledge to actively parent—to forbid drinking and drugs in their homes—it would help keep all of our children safe and sober. We need to communicate, work together, and let our children know that we care about their lives, their safety, and their futures. Our children need a strong message that underage drinking is NOT acceptable ... and it starts in the home."
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What do you do if you know of an underage party? Call the police at 415-897-4361. Your name can be kept confidential. And visit the Coalition's website page on the Social Host Ordinance for more information: http://novatoblueribbon.org/community/social-host-ordinance/.
If this is a topic that interests you, please contact the Coalition to get involved or to learn more. Let’s work together to ensure Novato is a safe place to raise families and thrive.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON NBRC4Y:
Website: www.novatoblueribbon.org
Email: info@novatoblueribbon.org Phone: (415) 798-5329
