Tuesday's guests on the "Mornings unPHILtered" show were Spencer Beckum, coordinator of the Bulloch County Drug-Free Communities Support Program, and Terry Reeves, from Georgia Power. Reeves serves as the chairman of the Bulloch County Drug-Free Coalition.
The group, which is fighting drug and alcohol abuse in Bulloch, will hold a town hall meeting on Thursday. The meeting will be in the Community Room at the Honey Bowen Building of the Statesboro-Bulloch County Recreation Department on Max Lockwood Drive. It will feature speakers from many segments of the community.
It is expected to run from 6pm until 7:30pm, and it is free and open to all. You can call the Drug-Free Community Support Program at 764-9954 for more information.
Reeves said statistics show that 30 percent of eighth graders and 53 percent of twelfth graders admit already using alcohol. Beckum said one of the most disturbing statistics is that teens who use alcohol are much more likely to go on to using drugs.
Beckum also said statistics indicate that almost all fatal car crashes of cars driven by teens involve the use of alcohol. Show host Phil Boyum agreed that some common-sense changes could be made as to restricting availability of alcohol.
Beckum gave an example, citing how teens are present at athletic events where many times alcohol flows freely. Both Reeves and Beckum said they do not favor restricting alcohol use by consenting adults in appropriate circumstances, but rather the abuse of alcohol by children as young as those in the sixth and seventh grades.
Beckum said that many surveys show that the alcohol comes from either their homes or those of their friends. Therefore, Beckum said, the real key to controlling the access to alcohol, however, is to ensure that alcohol in homes is kept out of childrens' reach.
"Mornings unPHILtered" airs live Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. on statesboroherald.com and also simulcast on WWNS-AM 1240 on the radio. You also can listen anytime at BoroLive.com on statesboroherald.com