Alcohol in School Is Stupid (AISIS) | MICHIGAN |
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In Lapeer County, Michigan, youth alcohol use and crash data reflected a problem with the underage population. The county is a rural area situated close to two large population centers: Detroit and Flint.
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
The primary goal of the project was to make people (both adults and youth) more aware that
alcohol use was on the rise and that young people were drinking. It was hoped that the increased
awareness would change attitudes and acceptable norms for youth alcohol use. This, in turn,
would lead to a decrease in injuries and deaths from youth alcohol-related traffic crashes.
STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES
In 1993, a steering committee was formed in the county. The steering committee consisted of
representatives from coalitions from each school district. The coalitions included law
enforcement officers, prosecutors, judges, parents, clergy, school representatives and community
leaders. The effort was called Alcohol In School Is Stupid (AISIS). The approach was three-pronged: law enforcement activities, educational presentations and community activities.
The law enforcement activities included an increase in citations written for "minors in
possession" and alcohol stings. Students from the SADD chapters in the high schools worked
with law enforcement in the stings (about 4 each year) to attempt to buy alcohol from local
establishments.
Steering committee members were trained by nationally recognized experts in alcohol-related programs, community interventions and parenting skills. These trained individuals then served as master trainers to spread their knowledge and ideas to coalition members. Target audiences for education presentations included youth, faculty and parents.
An active parent support network was initiated in the community, offering a
safe-home alternative for youth parties. A safe house phone directory was
published in each school district listing parents who had pledged to hold
chaperoned parties that were drug-, tobacco- and alcohol-free.
One of the many community activities of AISIS was the organizing a root beer
tent for the Lapeer Days Festival. This tent provided an alcohol-, drug- and
tobacco-free environment for families.
The media featured the program with articles on the alcohol stings and the
school programs. The extensive coverage kept the message fresh and brought
"publicity" to those who had been selling alcohol to underage youth.
The program was supported by the passage of the state's zero tolerance law in
November 1994.
RESULTS
The program continues as a vital part of the community's programs. AISIS
became part of the county's substance abuse agency with its own office and
provides wrap-around sevices to all youth. Parenting classes are ongoing. A
24-hour relay fundraiser helps support the program and provides small scholarships
for students who want to attend statewide seminars on substance abuse. The
acronym AISIS now stands for Any Illegal Substance Is Silly to
expand activities to drugs and violence.
The judge in the county was awarded national recognition by the National
Coalition Against Drunk Driving for his work with this program, law enforcement
and the judicial system. Any youth charged with "minor in possession" had his/her
license revoked.
Youth alcohol use has decreased by almost 20 percent, measured by the decrease
of alcohol-related motor vehicle injuries and fatalities .
Alcohol-related crashes have decreased by 50 percent. The 1995
graduation season had NO youth alcohol violations at parties and NO youth
alcohol-related fatalities. The 50 percent illegal buys at some establishments
dropped to almost zero.
At the end of the three-year project, citizens, schools, coaches and even students had begun reporting suspected youth alcohol incidents to coalition members and to the AISIS office.