The Orange County district attorney, area law enforcement and local drug-free community coalitions joined forces to bring awareness to the issue of underage drinking with the Window Cling Initiative.

Each year, alcohol-related incidents cause 5,000 deaths among Americans under the age of 21, according to NYC Health.

Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler is partnering with members of the community to highlight the dangers of underage drinking.

What You Need To Know

  • Each year alcohol-related injuries cause 5,000 deaths among people under the age of 21 in the U.S., according to NYC Health

  • Orange County officials are partnering with members of the community to highlight the dangers of underage drinking

  • Of 161 shops that were recently checked, 151 were in compliance with not selling alcohol to underage teens, State Police said

“Teenagers are prone to make bad decisions as it is. Adding alcohol is a very bad thing that can happen. And we know that you know that when those things happen, the outcomes are not as good as we want them to be. So just a subtle reminder of education and awareness,” said Hoovler.

He said the initiative was started about five years ago with the Project Sticker Shock, but now they have a partnership with one of the largest alcohol distributors in the county for a new program called “Prevent Not Provide.”

They plan on expanding it across the Hudson Valley.

“We've raised awareness and we've seen a reduction in the number of alcohol-related crashes of teenagers and adults," Hoovler said. "I think most importantly, we've been able to have parents and educators start talking about alcohol education and awareness, starting the conversation, particularly as we approach graduations, proms, formals, the end of high school for a lot of kids, when we see the incidents happen.” 

Tom Kennedy, general manager of Dana Distributors, said bringing awareness of underage drinking is personal.

“I like to help people. I have grown up without a father, and I want to help mentor people,” said Kennedy.

He said his company has done plenty of advertisements about the dangers of underage drinking and drinking and driving, and he is proud to be a part of a team of people that care.

“It’s not just about selling beverages. It’s about helping people get educated about drinking responsibly,” said Kennedy.

According to the New York State Police, at last check, out of 161 shops that were investigated, 151 were in compliance with not selling alcohol to underage teens.