Please don’t look the other way

    Recently, an Aroostook County youth was seriously injured as a result of intoxication. An adult provided alcohol to the young man and his girlfriend. The young man became intoxicated, got into an argument with his girlfriend while she was driving him home and was then made to get out of the car and walk home. It was a very cold night. The young man lost his shoes while he was drunk and, as a result of walking all night, got severe frost bite on his feet and legs. As a result of the frost bite, the young man lost all the toes on his left foot.     How does something like this happen? Our society and communities are engineered to facilitate substance use. Advertising, television, music and stores promote use of alcohol and prescription drugs. Children and youth experience high levels of stress, families are overburdened, and community members experience disconnection from one another. Although the oft quoted statement that “it takes a village to raise a child” is one many people embrace, our society and values do not support making that statement a reality.
    Substance abuse is a real problem that affects everyone, either directly or indirectly. All of us have to work together to address it. The ASAP initiative aims to decrease substance abuse by building strong communities and addressing community factors that lead to substance abuse. This is a big task and one which will require volunteer help. If you are interested in becoming an ASAP member and potentially volunteering your time and talents, please use the contact information below.
    If you do not have time to volunteer, one very important thing you can do is to report what you know. If you know an underage drinking party is planned, call your local police department. If know a teenager who buys large quantities of computer duster, call their parents. In the fight against substance abuse, it is very important that none of use looks the other way.
    This article was brought to you by Aroostook Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP), a countywide substance abuse prevention collaborative. For more information about ASAP and its prevention efforts contact Clare Desrosiers, Project Director (521-2408) or Allison Heidorn, Project Assistant (498-2979).