April 17, 2019

 

Laguna Treatment Center, a leading provider of substance use treatment services in Orange County, is hosting a free community event on the topic of underage drinking and its effects on teens and young adults.

“From Underage Drinking to Addiction: Stories and Stats We Can’t Ignore” is set for Monday, April 29, from 6 to 7:30 p.m.at the Norman P. Murray Community and Senior Center. The event will also be livestreamed on the hospital’s Facebook page. To watch the event visit, https://www.facebook.com/lagunatreatmenthospital/

The event will feature the stories of several people whose addiction started with alcohol as teenagers. One of the key storytellers is Jeremy Jackson, best known for his role as David Hasselhoff’s son Hobie on the 90’s hit series “Baywatch.” He had his first drink at the age of 12, which eventually led to a life of drugs and even jail time.

The community will also have the opportunity to participate in a Q&A session with local experts on prevention efforts, local resources and the warning signs every parent should know.

“This event is a wake-up call for the community about the dangers of underage drinking,” said Bob Hails, CEO of Laguna Treatment Center. “Parents may think, ‘this would never happen to my kid,’ but surveys from our local schools show otherwise. Unfortunately,  we see people every day whose addiction started with underage drinking. Alcohol addiction is still the number one reason why people seek treatment at our hospital.”

The program was created in support of SAMHSA’s Community’s Talk initiative for town-hall meetings nationwide.