Alcohol Awareness Campaign Seeks to Curb Underage Drinking; Social Host Liability Ordinance Takes Effect Sept. 1

Maui County Mayor Victorino issued a Proclamation declaring April 2021 Alcohol Awareness Month, kicking off a campaign to curb underage drinking. A new ordinance aimed at reducing underage drinking goes into effect Sept. 1, 2021, for Maui County.  

“We are heartened that Maui County continues to prioritize the health and safety of families, and recognizes the benefits of a drug and alcohol-free lifestyle for young people,” says Coalition Coordinator Andrea Snow.

As Alcohol Awareness Month ends, the Maui Coalition for Drug-Free Youth and partner organizations continue to engage with youth and adults on the benefits of reducing alcohol consumption, and the potential consequences of underage drinking, in preparation for the implementation of the Social Host Liability ordinance on September 1. 

The ordinance, which was passed through County Council in February, holds adults liable for illegal underage drinking on their properties.  

According to Coalition Chair and mother Kapua Chang, “For me, the Social Host Ordinance is another layer of accountability in the efforts to drastically minimize underage drinking and the consequences that come of it.”

Adds Coalition Director and father Rick Collins, “Alcohol is often conveyed in our media as a necessary requirement for celebrations and fun, when in actuality, it is the third-leading preventable cause of death in our society.  It’s great to see steps being taken to bring public awareness about the sobering consequences of alcohol to our community.”

Alcohol Awareness Month Proclamation:

WHEREAS, Alcohol abuse is the second most common form of substance abuse in the United States, after tobacco addiction, affecting an estimated 10% of adult men and 5% of adult women; and

WHEREAS, The Maui Police Department Traffic Division reported a 400% increase in habitual impaired driving arrests compared to 2020; and 

WHEREAS, According to the 2019 Hawaii Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 27.7% of Maui County high school youth and 8.1% of Maui County middle school youth are current drinkers; and

WHEREAS, Maui County has galvanized community leaders and parents to aid in underage drinking prevention through the passage of a civil Social Host Ordinance effective on Sept 1, 2021; and

WHEREAS, Preventing underage drinking and adult alcohol abuse is lifesaving work which is vital to strengthening our community’s resilience; and

NOW, THEREFORE, I, MICHAEL P. VICTORINO, Mayor of the County of Maui, do hereby proclaim the month of April 2021 as ALCOHOL AWARENESS MONTH throughout the County of Maui, and encourage all citizens to do their part to prevent alcohol-related harms in our community and make Maui County a safer place for everyone.