As President of the New Jersey PTA, representing almost a quarter of a million parents, educators and members of the general public concerned about the safety and health of New Jersey's youth, I urge you to vote for a return to 21 as the legal drinking age in our state. Regardless of the sources of pressure we recognize are now being applied to reopen the arguments against the increase, please remember that school administrators, local school boards of education, teachers, the State Board of Education, officials from every major law enforcement agency (including the State Attorney-General), doctors, mayors and all the major denominations of churches in New Jersey support 21 as the appropriate age. The prestigious National Transportation Safety Board as of July, 1982, publicly urged all states to adopt a drinking age of 21, citing irrefutable data that raising the drinking age helps save lives. While NJ PTA and the NJ Coalition for 21 which PTA formed and chairs (consisting of 35 statewide organizations), has long recognized that a return to 21 in and of itself will not solve all of the alcohol abuse, we believe as does the Transportation Safety Board that a return to 21 will be a major step in combating the carnage on our highways as has been proven in the 9 states which recently raised the age to that figure. We appreciate your consideration of this important matter and hope we can count on your political courage and support for our position so that Governor Kean can sign a bill raising the drinking age to 21, as he has promised, soon after the legislature reconvenes. Sincerely, Glee Gandell, President NEW JERSEY STATE JUVENILE AID OFFICERS ASSOCIATION, INC. BUSINESS OFFICE Florham Park Police Dept. Florham Park, NJ 07932 201-377-2200 For Immediate Release........ October 20, 1981 -36 SUPPORT GROWS FOR DRINKING AGE 21 Support for raising the legal drinking age to 21 among New In 1972, New Jersey lowered the drinking age from 21 to 18. At least in part, the change resulted in increased alcohol problems and teenage vandalism in schools according to a previous survey of principals and administrators. Automobile deaths caused by drivers less than 21 and under the A recently released study by the Insurance Institute for Highway In an effort to reduce the problem in New Jersey, the New Jersey "We are very pleased with the results of our legislative ques- The N.J.S.J.A.O. and the PTA do not officially endorse or oppose candidates. They do, however, disseminate information to those involved with COALITION 21 as well as interested and concerned citizens. Ew rs Early stalls Captain Earle Wallo, President The Record Friend of the People It Serves JOHN BORG, Publisher 1922-1948 -37 ROBERT COMSTOCK, Vice-President/Executive Editor JAMES AHEARN, Managing Editor BERNARD J. BURANELLI, Deputy Managing Editor MALCOLM A. BORG, Chairman of the Board DAVID CORCORAN, Editorial Page Editor Too young to drink In 1979, this newspaper scoffed at the New Jersey Legislature's decision to raise the legal drinking age from 18 to 19 as a means of reducing carnage on the highway. We said there wasn't a scrap of proof that the 18-year-old rule (lowered from 21 in 1973) had produced more alcohol-connected fatalities among teen-agers. Now, unfortunately, that proof exists - in the form of grisly statistics assembled by the Division of Motor Vehicles. Drivers between 18 and 20 have twice the number of accidents as the average of all drivers in the state, and 2% times as many liquor-related deaths. Before 1973, the lethal combination of drinking and driving contributed to 22 deaths a year among persons aged 18 to 20. Over the next six years, the annual average was 58. We argued in 1979 that maturity, rather than age, was the key to the use of alcohol by youngsters just old enough to drive. We still think that's so, but it pales as an argument against the stark increase in drunken-driving deaths. We see no alternative but to join those who argue for restoration of the drinking age to 21. Advocates of restoration include outgoing Attorney-General James Zazzali and his succes- But the experiment has failed: The numbers tells us that unequivocally. The alternative is undesirable but unavoidable to restore the drinking age to 21 and try to persuade New York to do the same. 35-289 0-84-33 i sving records were twice as good as older dime site seriang age was lowered. :ing 2: as the potential of saving 54 Ives a year Megadet for sure, but it's worth a try • Song youth drinking problems will take more than ney at a change, but a return to 21 is an importer set of what needs to be done. I Books on crack down and expel students because of 1er Striking behavior, but they want to keep hem z so to complete their education using the al padmanistrators deal with this problem 4 Sung is a privilege, not a right Most salts have goa adult nights to 18 year olds, while povleges 7 ring and fighting involve des calls for obedience to orders, while Judgment and discretion 8 Returning to 21 will not stop gimd slow it down by reducing pos CON AGAINST RAISING THE DRINKING AGE THEY WANT TO SARAWAY ARE YOU CHING TO - we scents have not increased that mut for sounger vert shoe the king age was low supply line between 18 year olan soung as 9 Drinking in bars has not beer vir drinking To the contrary there has be Ing since 18 year olds have she e establishments 10 There are lots of abematus to south o han a change the law to have the rows to deal with probyoung people. The answer is answer's better enforce "Taef-amuts. Omsung is a wave other they are at enough to dess of what the Joning age to 21 ing, and one of the been explored has bear 11 Better law enforcemen & ABY |