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Underage Drinking

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Alcohol Task Force Needs Your Help

Take 10 minutes for a survey to help the Cobb community.

The Cobb Alcohol Taskforce and the Cobb County School District are conducting a community survey online, and they need volunteers. Anyone from age 9 and up can help out. Just click on your age group: When you get there, use 1050 for your survey invitation code and "Cobb County School District: Cobb" for your prevention agency. For more ways to take action against underage and binge drinking, including conducting community assessments, visit the task force's website. More on the Cobb Alcohol Taskforce:

Friday, May 11, 2012

Letter to the Editor: Underage Alcohol Sales

In this letter to the editor, Cathy Fink of the Cobb Alcohol Taskforce responds to Kroger's 60-day suspension.

The recently reported illegal sale of alcohol to minors is a recurring issue at some Cobb County Kroger locations. It is important for Cobb Commissioners to take these illegal sales seriously and issue sanctions that are effective at deterring future violations. It remains to be seen whether a 60-day suspension of Kroger's alcohol license at its Powder Springs Road store will result in sustained compliance. Government and business practices proven to help prevent underage alcohol sales do exist and need to be utilized. Law enforcement use of compliance checks and government use of effective administrative sanctions have proven helpful. Business use of effective alcohol policies, hiring, training and management practices can also help. …

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Cobb Forum to Tackle Teen Drinking

Learn about the problem and solutions Thursday night live on Kennesaw Patch.

Cobb County will be talking about underage drinking Thursday night, and you can be part of the conversation. The Cobb Alcohol Taskforce is marking National Alcohol Awareness Month by gathering a panel of local experts to discuss how underage and youth binge drinking affects the community and what can be done about it. You’re invited to join the audience in the Cobb Board of Commissioners boardroom at 100 Cherokee St. Or you can watch the forum live here on Kennesaw Patch or through the task force’s website. Either way, you can participate by submitting questions for the panel and by using what you learn to help solve the problem of underage drinking. The 2010 Georgia Student Health Survey found that among Cobb County School District 12th-…

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Shell Sells Alcohol to Minor

The Cobb County Police Department conducted an alcohol compliance check Thursday.

The Shell Food Mart in Kennesaw received three citations for selling alcohol to a minor during an alcohol compliance check conducted by Cobb police Thursday. The business, located at 465 Ernest Barrett Pkwy., was the only one of six establishments that failed the check and sold alcohol to an underage volunteer. The following businesses passed the compliance check: Jimmy Macs, 3205 Canton Road in Marietta. Sportsline Grill, 2359 Windy Hill Road in Marietta. Folia Brazilian Steakhouse, 1360 Powers Ferry Road in Atlanta. Barrett Exxon Food Mart, 550 Barrett Parkway in Kennesaw. Chicago Pizza, 3405 George Busbee Parkway in Kennesaw. While Jimmy Macs, Sportsline Grill and Chicago Pizza passed the compliance check, they received citations for …

Monday, March 5, 2012

Youth Voice and Vision Video Contest

The Cobb Alcohol Taskforce is organizing a video PSA competition to promote the prevention of underage drinking.

Students are invited to showcase their creative media talents while promoting the prevention of underage drinking. The video contest is co-sponsored by the Cobb Alcohol Taskforce, the Cobb County School District Prevention Intervention Center and the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities. Students in grades 6 through 12 who represent a school or community group based in Cobb County are eligible to submit student-produced video public service announcements. PSAs must be 30, 60, or 90 seconds and address one of two topics: Contest rules and entry forms can be found at www.cobbat.org. The deadline for submitting entries is March 30 at 5 p.m. Video entries will be judged by a panel of media experts on …

Friday, March 2, 2012

Underage Drinking Arrests at BullFrogz, Electric Cowboy

Poll: How serious of a problem is underage drinking?

Five people were arrested Thursday night at Electric Cowboy in Kennesaw and charged with underage drinking, Kennesaw police announced via Nixle. Police said the individuals used deceptive means to gain access to alcoholic beverages at the N. Roberts Road country and dance nightclub. The individuals were identified by Electric Cowboy's security personnel or part-time officers. Thursday night, Kennesaw police also made an underage drinking arrest at BullFrogz. Police said the individual, who was identified by BullFrogz security, used deceptive means to gain access to alcohol. The arrests come on the heels of efforts by the Kennesaw Police Department and other members of the Cobb Alcohol Taskforce to promote awareness about underage drinking …

Bill Westenberger

8:29 pm on Saturday, March 3, 2012

Underage drinking is a serious problem wherever and whenever it occurs. It is a concern that all communities face. Fortunately, the businesses referenced in the article took responsible action towards the infractions. Kennesaw Police remain committed to doing our part to reduce underage drinking. We prefer voluntary compliance gained through education and understanding, but will keep the line …   more ›

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

'Project Sticker Shock' Addresses Underage Drinking

Local youths participated in the Cobb Alcohol Taskforce initiative.

The Cobb Alcohol Taskforce Youth Council helped spread awareness about underage drinking during its recent Project Sticker Shock initiative at retail outlets in Kennesaw and other Cobb cities. According to a release from the organization, youths placed hundreds of stickers displaying warning messages about the penalties for providing alcohol to minors on beer cases, wine coolers and other alcohol-related products that might appeal to young drinkers. The idea for the Project Sticker Shock initiative was planned during the fall Youth Council Summit. Cobb Alcohol Taskforce member, Youth Council coordinator and public health educator Amy Hoffman organized the event assisted by Sgt. Amie Herd and intern Aaron Larkin of the Cobb Sheriff’s Office…

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Youth Know the Truth: Underage Drinking

Sixty-one percent of Cobb 10th and 12th graders participating in the 2009 Georgia Student Health Survey said they have used alcohol at a friend's house.

The Cobb Alcohol Taskforce premiered Youth Know the Truth: Inside an Underage Drinking Party at their bimonthly taskforce meeting hosted at Turner Chapel AME Church on Tuesday.  Private home parties are the primary source by which youth obtain alcohol. Research shows that private home parties frequently lack adult supervision and  are the source for other drug use, risky sexual behaviors, violence and vandalism. Sixty-one percent of Cobb 10th and 12th graders participating in the 2009 Georgia Student Health Survey said they have used alcohol at a friend's house. The youth council hopes that the live and taped productions of YKT will be an eye-opener for Cobb County adults. Youth Know the Truth: Inside an Underage Drinking Party is a taped …

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Response to 'Parents Held Responsible for Underage Drinking'

In this letter to the editor, Cathy Finck of the Cobb Alcohol Taskforce addresses the effectiveness of social host laws.

Welcome to 2012—let’s hope local parents and other adults step up to their responsibility for deterring and preventing underage drinking in their homes and on private property this year! We don’t really know how things went so wrong for the parents from Menlo Park, CA, who face 44 counts of suspicion of contributing to the delinquency of a minor from recent charges resulting from police response to a basement party thrown by their 17-year-old son, as reported by Leanne Italie. The story didn’t report how the alcohol showed up, or if this was the first time police responded to a call at this location, or what precipitated the call that led police to find teenagers drinking alcohol at this home. Instead, the story attempted to examine …

Alisa Bennett-Hart

6:18 pm on Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Responsible adult behavior can and does prohibit underage drinking. The Cobb Safe Neighborhood Safe Homes program is based on 6 practical steps that adults can take to ensure youth safety and avoid liability. Check it out at www.cobbat.org/safehomes.   more ›

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