For Immediate Release

Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2019

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

Local Youth Kick Off

Public Awareness Project

Sticker Shock Campaign to Target Adults who Provide Alcohol to Youth

IPSWICH — Partners of the regional Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition (SAPC), including local police, high schools, and health departments, are kicking off a Sticker Shock Campaign to change adult attitudes about providing alcohol to minors.

This public awareness project will be taking place across the communities of Gloucester, Rockport, Manchester-by-the-Sea, Essex, Beverly and Ipswich during the next couple weeks in stores that sell alcohol.

The project is funded by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health Bureau of Substance Addiction Services to bring attention to the issue of underage drinking and the adults who provide alcohol to minors.

Local youth are part this project, working with participating stores to spread “Sticker Shock” waves across these communities in an effort to reach adults who might be tempted to buy alcohol for youth under 21 who can’t legally buy it themselves. The bright yellow stickers stand out on multipacks of beer and other products that appeal to youth, for all to see. The stickers provide a strong reminder: “If They Can’t Buy It, Don’t Supply It! Providing alcohol to anyone under 21 could mean up to a $2,000 fine and/or one year in jail.”

Campaign posters will also be hung in various locations to broaden awareness. Youth leaders from Rotary Interact, members of the Ipswich Police Department, Ipswich Aware and local retail stores are working together to create a safer, healthier lifestyle by combating the problem of underage drinking.

Alcohol has been identified as the number one drug of choice among youth according to local youth risk data, and one of the easiest substances to obtain. The Sticker Shock Campaign hopes to cause adults to think twice before making it any easier for youth to access alcohol.

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