To the editor:
In our beautiful town, we have to deal with the major issue of underage drinking in Wellesley. We want to ensure that middle schoolers transitioning into high school avoid drinking. People might say they know it is illegal, but they may not understand just how prevalent underage drinking is in Wellesley.
According to the 2021 MetroWest Adolescent Health survey, Wellesley High School students self-reported that 52.4% of girls and 47.3% of boys had used alcohol. That means half the high schoolers here have already broken the law. MetroWest Health Survey found that about 77% of those who have used alcohol underage have gotten alcohol from a party.
If we can influence younger people to stay away from these parties, then hopefully, parties will become alcohol free. There will be fewer drinkers, and the younger grades will follow their example.
Kids need to fully understand the risks: not just that drinking is illegal, but that it can also ruin their lives and chance at a future. According to a document released by the Town of Needham, kids 15 or younger drinking causes a 400% increase in alcohol addiction, as well as being 2.5 times more likely to become alcohol abusers than someone who waits to use alcohol until age 21. Illegal drinkers in Massachusetts still average 2.3 more drinks per day than people over 21.. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, underage drinking caused 12,429 deaths in 2012. Every day, around 34 people die from car crashes related to underage drinking.
Although many parents talk to their kids about drinking, and Wellesley schools have a curriculum on alcohol abuse, some parents allow their kids to drink under 21. Supplying alcohol to kids is not okay. Most importantly, it is illegal, but it also makes parents directly responsible for their kid’s actions and later health problems. How would you feel if you had to live with knowing your actions led to a minor’s death, maybe even your own children? Kids could also end up committing felonies when drunk, and then adults are responsible for them not going to college and following their dreams. Because these accidents from drinking are often preventable by parents, adults need to make sure they are doing their part.
We need to ensure that Wellesley’s future generations do not get sucked into alcohol. Parents and schools talking is important, but even more needs to be done. We are pushing for a speaker who has experienced the problems with addiction firsthand to come to Wellesley schools and influence the students. We think this will impact students more than other previous education. We also think schools and the community need to work together to think of more solutions to prevent underage drinking.
Wellesley Middle School 8th graders,
Jameson Cotter
Charlie Dube
Fleet Taylor
Tyler Sullivan
