Ball State University students and Muncie residents learned the effects of alcohol and how it affects a person's life during a presentation about underage drinking Monday.
In coordination with the Delaware County Coordinating Council to Prevent Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse and support from Federal Drug Free Communities Grant and Strategic Framework State Incentive Grant, motivational speaker Milton Creagh spoke at The L.A. Pittenger Student Center's Cardinal Hall.
The DCCC has served the community as a community coalition examining substance abuse in the areas of prevention, treatment and law enforcement whose mission it is to plan, strengthen and coordinate community efforts to prevent and reduce substance abuse amount youth and adults.
A DCCC representative who introduced Creagh said the DCCC and Creagh were involving themselves in the community to look at ways to eliminate drug and alcohol abuse.
Creagh began his speech by directly addressing his audience about his views on underage drinking.
"I have a problem with underage drinking," he said. "We have a lot to work on."
He concentrated on four issues that connected with alcohol and drug abuse, which included rape, murder, consensual sex and domestic violence while also providing startling statistics. He also spoke about how alcohol affected his friends' lives when they were growing up.
"We have to stop thinking that the biggest problem with alcohol abuse is drunk driving," he said. "That is not the case."
Creagh explained the life and career of the late and long-time childhood friend, Dallas Cowboys receiver Bob Hayes. His life was controlled by his alcohol and cocaine addiction. This Olympic medal winner and hall of fame football star's life ended due to cirrhosis of the liver because of his chronic abuse since he was nine years old, Creagh said.
Underage drinking costs Indiana residents $1.3 billion dollars in 2005, and Creagh said, these are universal problems that need to stop.
"There is a reason to be careful around alcohol, it is a universal problem," he said. "Alcohol abuse doesn't care who you are."
Creagh addressed fraternities and sororities about alcohol and drug abuse on college campuses and challenged them to attend his next visit to Ball State University in May.
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