The Middletown Township Committee in conjunction with the Middletown Alliance to Prevent Alcoholism and Drug Abuse have proclaimed April 2010 as Alcohol Awareness Month in Middletown Township. The 2010 theme is “Our Children, Our Future: Underage Drinking is a Community Responsibility.”

The Municipal Alliance presents residents of all ages with opportunities to learn about the current realities of alcoholism and drug abuse and to ask questions will that help them protect their loved ones. Programs include peer leadership sessions for fifth graders, rallies and public forums such as Reaching Out to Prevent Substance Abuse, prevention education programs such as Kids Instructed on Dangerous Substances (KIDS) and Grown Ups Learn About Drugs (GLAD). Free individual family and group counseling is offered to Middletown residents through Crossroads at Croydon Hall.

Crossroads at Croydon Hall - 732-615-2275
Municipal Alliance Programs - 732-615-2269

Alcohol Awareness Facts

• More than 7 percent of Americans 18 and older or nearly 13.8 million people have problems with drinking, including 8.1 million people who are alcoholic.
• Nearly 43% of American adults or 76 million people have been exposed to alcoholism in their family
• Alcohol contributes to 100,000 deaths annually, making it the third leading cause of preventable mortality in the United States.
• Nearly one-fourth of persons admitted to general hospitals have alcohol problems or are undiagnosed alcoholics being treated for the consequences of their drinking.
• Alcohol is also involved in about half of all homicides and serious assaults, as well as in a high percentage of sex-related crimes, robberies, and incidents of domestic violence.
• Research shows that youth whose parents or friends provide alcohol for teen get-togethers are more likely to drink heavier and more frequently and be involved in life-threatening traffic crashes.
• People who begin drinking before age 15 are four times more likely to develop alcoholism than those who begin at age 21.
• Approximately 9.7 million current drinkers in the United States are between the ages of 12-20.
• Alcohol is a primary factor in the four leading causes of death for almost 6,500 young persons ages 10-21 annually.