DA’s billboards target underage drinking
Worcester DA Joseph Early is funding the community service messages.
FITCHBURG » New billboards will soon be erected in Fitchburg aimed at preventing underage drinking thanks in part to funds donated by Worcester County District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr., according to an announcement from his office.
This week, Early provided a check from the office’s Drug
Forfeiture Community Reinvestment program, which uses money seized from drug crimes to provide funds for crime prevention community initiatives in Worcester County, to the city’s Board of Health, according to the announcement.
“The City of Fitchburg is such a great partner and we’re always glad to work with them to spread important messages like these that help prevent
crime,” Early said. “The hardest part of our job is talking to people in pain. Life can change in the blink of an eye. Not only do we want to keep our youth from drinking underage, but we want to avoid the unnecessary tragedies that so often occur as a result.”
The billboards will focus on educating the public about the social host liability law, which states that a person who supplies or allows possession of alcohol by someone under 21 can be fined up to $2,000 or imprisoned for up to a year.
“As always, we appreciate the ongoing support of the District Attorney, especially regarding the important issue of keeping our young people safe and healthy,” said Mayor Stephen DiNatale.
“The District Attorney’s office has been a tremendous partner over the years, especially in the area of youth prevention,” said Sue Christensen, the city’s Substance Abuse Prevention Coordinator.
“This project is yet another example of great community collaboration and will help us raise awareness of MA social host liability laws,” she said.
These billboards will be a collaboration between the City of Fitchburg’s Board of Health, the Montachusett Public Health Network, the Massachusetts Substance Abuse Prevention Collaborative, and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health Bureau of Substance Addiction Services.