Alcohol is the most widely used substance of abuse and about 15 percent of the population is in need of alcohol and substance abuse treatment, according to a proclamation designating April as Alcohol Awareness Month issued by the Warren County Board of Chosen Freeholders.

But the good news is that “research has shown that children who have conversations with their parents about the dangers of alcohol and drug use are 50 percent less likely to use these substances,” Freeholder Jason J. Sarnoski said as he read from the proclamation at the board’s meeting.

Accepting the proclamation was Alessandre Singher, a member of Warren County’s Local Advisory Committee on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse (LACADA), who thanked the freeholders for helping raise awareness about the issue.

“Being involved with LACADA was a real eye-opener in terms of how many individuals are suffering from alcoholism,” said Freeholder Director Edward J. Smith, who previously was the board’s liaison to that committee.

Smith noted that if proclamation Alcohol Awareness Month can help one person realize they need help with addiction, it’s worth doing.

The Warren County freeholders established a Heroin and Opioid Addiction Awareness Task Force but Sarnoski, who serves on that group, said the members realized they needed to look at all types of addiction, including alcohol. “We now call it the Addiction Awareness Task Force,” he said.

The freeholder proclamation calls for changing attitudes about alcohol use, noting “It’s not a rite of passage.” The proclamation calls upon “all citizens, parents, governmental agencies, public and private institutions, businesses, hospitals and schools in Warren County to support efforts to end underage drinking, increase awareness of alcohol use disorders and the success of prevention and treatment.”

Photo: Warren County Freeholder Jason J. Sarnoski and Freeholder Director Edward J. Smith present an Alcohol Awareness Month proclamation to Alessandre Singher of the Warren County Local Advisory Committee on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse (LACADA) at the board’s meeting last week.