SMETHPORT (EC) — Smethport Mayor Wayne Foltz has proclaimed April 21 as PowerTalk 21 Day in the borough, a local and national effort that raises awareness of the importance of parents and teens talking together about  alcohol and reducing the risks and dangers posed to teens and communities.

This year, PowerTalk 21 Day, initiated by Mothers Against Drunk Driving, was established to encourage parents and caregivers to embrace their important roles in influencing the nation’s youth and their decisions about drinking alcohol. The majority of children say their parents are the primary influence when it comes to making decisions about drinking alcohol, according to Foltz’s proclamation.

To equip parents to talk with their teens about alcohol, MADD Pennsylvania will provide events, workshops and online information to give parents the tools to effectively communicate with their children about alcohol and to protect them.

In his announcement, Foltz noted that high school students who use alcohol and other substances are five times more likely to drop out of school or believe good grades are not that important.

Approximately 27 percent of middle school students who use alcohol or other substances before graduating from eighth grade significantly increase the risk that they will develop alcohol problems later in life.

Teen alcohol use kills 4,700 people each year, more than all illegal drugs combined.