Should the drinking age be lowered back down to 18?

There has been a lot of debate recently, precipitated by college presidents in particular about dropping the drinking age back to 18 from 21.

This is a bad idea.

Increasing the drinking age to 21 has saved lives by reducing drunk driving fatalities. It is estimated that 900 18 -20 year old lives are saved per year which is over 25,000 since the minimum drinking age was increased. Other problems such as assault, property damage, rape, suicide, homicide and poisonings have also decreased.

Further the physical damage that excessive amounts of alcohol does to the developing adolescent brain, the gastro-intestinal tract, liver, etc. is reduced.

The likelihood that if young people drink alcohol they also will move on to other drugs such as nicotine, pot, cocaine, etc. is increased.

The further reduction in classroom success, work absenteeism due to "hangovers" etc., increased medical costs, is estimated to cost New Yorkers $3.2 billion per year, and Americans $60.3 billion.

Raising the drinking age to 21 has provided many public health benefits and increased the quality of life for individuals and their families.

To read the Press Release issued on Friday, August 29, 2008 by the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse click here.

Use of Medicaid reimbursement for smoking cessation products has increased dramatically in New York State in last 8 years

Over 30% of New Yorkers on Medicaid smoke cigarettes compared with just 14% of those with private health insurance.

Medicaid began reimbursing for prescription smoking cessation products in October 1999 and for over-the-counter products in February 2000. About one million adults are enrolled in Medicaid in New York.

Since medicaid began reimbursing for smoking cessation products, the number of Medicaid claims and the number of recipients for these products has risen dramatically. This is important because New Yorkers on Medicaid are disproportionately affected by cigarette smoking.

Hopefully this will have long term health benefits for medicaid recipients and in the long run save money for the treatment of smoking related illnesses.


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GA meeting beginning at GCASA

Sarah Edwards, GCASA's Gambling Treatment specialist, announced today, Friday, September 5, 2008 that GA, Gambler's Anonymous will be starting a meeting here in Batavia, NY on September 20, 2008 at 10:00 AM at GCASA, 430 East Main Street, Batavia, NY.

The first meeting will be an open meeting so anyone is welcome to attend.

If you would like more information, contact Sarah Edwards at 585-815-1853 or you email her at sedwards@gcasa.org

Genesee County Mental Health Association is sponsoring a MICA open house 09/09/08

The Genesee County Mental Health Association will be having a MICA Open House on Tuesday, September 9, 2008 from 2:00 - 4:00 PM at 25 Liberty Street. For more information, contact the GMHA at 344-2611. M.I.C.A. is an acronym which stands for Mental Illness/Chemical Abuse which simply refers to the idea that some people struggle with a psychiatric disorder and a substance abuse disorder.

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GCASA's Executive Director Goes On Vacation to Cincinnati

Every now and then Executive Directors, like all other employees, need a vacation, and to have a life away from work.

Here I am at Newport in Covington, Kentucky overlooking the Ohio River and the Purple People Bridge with my daughter, Maureen and my grandson, Atticus. It was a beautiful day.
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Here I am in about the same spot with my son, Joe, on the right, and my son-in-law, Rodney who is fellow in Pediatric Critical Care at Cincinnati Children's Hospital.

Here I am with my grandson, Atticus, one of my 5 grandsons and 12 grandchildren.

Here I am pretending to be Mary Poppins on a hot Sunday afternoon in Batesville, Indiana at my daughter, Mary's house trying to keep the sun off of me.

Man arrested in LeRoy, NY for giving cigarettes to a minor

They are getting tough in LeRoy when man is arrested for giving a cigarette to a minor and charged with unlawful dealing with a child and endangering the welfare of a child.

This may seem extreme but nicotine is one of the most addictiing and deadly drugs in American. It has always puzzled me why, we as a society, have had more lenient attitudes about alcohol, pot, and other drugs and ignored tobacco. Tobacco is far more addicting and deadly than alcohol and/or street drugs. It is heartening to see LeRoy police take tobacco seriously.

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GCASA receives two Drug Free Community grants

Maryann Bowman, GCASA's Director Of Prevention announced today, August 27, 2008 that SAMHSA, the Federal Substance Abuse and Menthal Health Services Administration has notified GCASA that it will be awarding grants for Drug Free Communities in both Genesee and Orleans Counties beginning October 1, 2008.

Here is the email which Maryann sent to GCASA staff:

Hi Everyone,

I have some great news to share with all of you. Genesee and Orleans County prevention departments would proudly like to announce that we received the Drug Free Communities grant for both counties. This means federal funding for the next five years to continue on with the coalition work we have done and have been very successful at. I am so proud to have a staff that is so dedicated and worked very hard in putting many hours into making these grants a reality.

Since January we applied for four substantial grants: The Regional Resource Center for Genesee, Drug Free Communities-Genesee and Orleans and the STOP grant for Genesee. To date we’ve received three out of the four…not bad…we’re on a roll.

Give your prevention staff at GCASA a “high five” when you see them. They deserve it.

Remember we’re the best in the country.

See you, Maryann