Council members in 2005 chose to focus on alcohol and substance abuse, because they are the root causes of so many problems in our community and elsewhere. They decided the most promising place to intervene would be the prevention of underage drinking.

The problem is serious: data show that one in six high school freshmen in our area binge drink each month, and that the earlier a child starts drinking, the greater the chances of alcohol addiction, and the greater the chances the child will suffer often irreversible brain damage.

As a first step in developing a community action plan, the Council co-sponsored, with Attorney General Steven Rowe, a public forum entitled: "Underage Drinking in Our Community: Why Should You Care?" There was an outpouring of interest in the subject, with over 160 Mid Coast parents, and law enforcement, school and health professionals attending the forum at Mt. Ararat. Other cosponsors included U.S. SAMHSA and Maine DHHS Office of Substance Abuse, which has also awarded a grant to Mid Coast Hospital to combat substance abuse in our area.