Governor McCrory Proclaims April Alcohol Awareness Month | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Raleigh, N.C.     Governor Pat McCrory has proclaimed April as Alcohol Awareness Month in North Carolina, joining a long-standing national effort to raise awareness about alcohol-related public health issues.

    "We must have a strategy to change the culture of underage drinking as a rite of passage and binge drinking in our schools and universities," said Governor McCrory. "Awareness of the problem of underage drinking and alcohol addiction is key. In addition, we must offer help to young people who are doing harm to themselves and to their families. That's why I created the Governor's Substance Abuse and Underage Drinking Prevention and Treatment Task Force."

    North Carolina Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission studies show that the average age a young person starts to experiment with alcohol is 13.9 and an average of two North Carolina citizens die each week as a result of underage drinking.

    "Clearly underage drinking and alcohol abuse is a serious problem that Governor McCrory is appropriately focusing attention on with his proclamation of April as Alcohol Awareness Month," said NC ABC Commission Chairman Jim Gardner. "Underage drinking costs North Carolina citizens more than $1.5 billion annually, and more importantly, it often leads to tragic fatalities and injuries, as well as long-term damage to kids' health. We have a responsibility to do something about changing it."

    Chairman Gardner serves as co-chair of the governor's Substance Abuse and Underage Drinking Prevention and Treatment Task Force.

    "I, along with Task Force Co-Chair DPS Secretary Frank Perry, am leading the effort so the departments of Public Safety, Health and Human Services, Public Instruction and other related organizations can work together at all levels to change this culture and stop this problem," Chairman Gardner said.

    Click here for a copy of the proclamation.

• Contact: Crystal Feldman
•     govpress@nc.gov