Underage Drinking in Our Communities: Worcester Edition

By Macee Buckley:

This month, Worcester Police’s Alcohol Enforcement Unit conducted an underage drinking stings at various restaurants and businesses. They used underage college students as part of their operation The students went to local establishments to try to purchase alcohol. Of the 30 places visited, two provided alcohol to the underage students. Compared to past years, there was an increase in businesses that complied. The Alcohol Enforcement Unit conducted the sting to “bring awareness to business owners about the consequences of selling alcohol to underage customers and patrons”.

Underage-Drinking Sting Nets Two Violators in Worcester: https://t.co/kOkp8zjtPg

— ThisWeekinWorcester (@thisweekinWoo) February 7, 2019

The issue of underage drinking cannot just be limited to the city of Worcester alone, but is notorious for occurring on college campuses, including Assumption College. Substance Educator Joe Facteau, from Assumption’s Peers Advocating for Wellness (PAWS) group, talked about the concerns associated with underage drinking, he said “The biggest contribution to underage drinking at Assumption College and Worcester is how many businesses and restaurants accept obvious fake IDs or do not check IDs at all.” Facteau continued to defend this logic because “when businesses allow underage people to buy alcohol, there is the potential danger of drinking and driving.”

General Meeting
Wed. | TFAC 227 | 7:30-8:30
Post film screen discussion. Learn more about the dangers of mixing drugs and alcohol
•#ac_paws #substanceeducation

— PAWS (@ac_paws) January 30, 2019

PAWS does their part on Assumption’s campus to try and educate students on the dangers of not only underage drinking, but also on how to make smart choices while drinking. Seen above is a tweet advertising for one of their events on substance education.

Facteau’s statements about the dangers of drinking and driving with underage students is backed up by reports from the CDC. Boston Children’s Hospital reports the leading causes of death in young people are accidents, homicides and suicides; all which can be combined with underage drinking. Other potential dangers to underage drinking can be seen in the video below.

Underage drinking cannot just be limited to the Assumption or Worcester communities, but is an issue that affects all of us. The effects can be devastating to the underage drinker but also to their families.