Milton student Angela Truong educates policy makers on the importance of alcohol misuse prevention

The Massachusetts Alcohol Policy Coalition brought together youth from across the state, including Angela Truong, an 11th grader at Milton High School, to study ways policy can help prevent underage alcohol use. They participated in four training sessions, including one at the Boston University School of Public Health with Dr. David Jernigan, an internationally recognized expert on alcohol policy. The students researched evidence-based policies and chose one they thought would work well in their communities. Then they worked on formulating their message that they would deliver to state legislators. Ms. Truong and other students chose to talk about raising the excise tax on alcohol.

On January 15th, 2025, Ms. Truong and over 40 other youth met at the State House to their state legislators. Ms. Truong met with new State Representative Richard Wells and with State Senator William Driscoll’s staff, John O’Brien. She explained to them the negative impacts alcohol has on her peers and community, contributing to suicides, injuries, disrupting their education, and hurting families. She also pointed out that promotion of alcohol is common on their social media feeds, even though the social media companies claim they do not allow this.

She also explained that research has shown that the more alcohol costs, the less likely it will be available to young people. Massachusetts has not raised its alcohol excise tax since the 1970s and these taxes are currently some of the lowest in the nation. The costs of alcohol use (injury, accidents, violence and more) paid by our tax dollars are $.77 per drink. Ms. Truong and the other students pointed out that the current alcohol excise tax only brings in $.03 per drink. Ms. Truong asked her state legislators to support an increase in the alcohol excise tax by $.10 per drink and that the revenue be used for underage alcohol use prevention and other wellness initiatives.

The students then walked to the Department of Public Health and met with staff from the Bureau of Substance Addiction Services Prevention Team. Together, the youth participated in a presentation to the staff about the critical need for prevention. Ms. Truong also gave powerful testimony about the negative impact that alcohol promotion on social media has on youth.

“It was a great experience,” Ms. Truong said about the day with policy makers. “It was really good to talk to people who are working for me and to be able to let them know what I think they should do.”

Shared from The Milton Coalition newsletter.