I love hockey. Autumn always brought the excitement that hockey season was approaching and that my weekends would be spent at the Ralph Engelstad soaking up the energy of the crowd and the excitement of the game.
As I got older, this enthusiasm for the sport and the experience accompanying it grew. As a middle-schooler, I happily joined in singing "In Heaven There is in No Beer" and giggled watching spectators stumble out to the buses to drink more at the bar. However, it wasn't until a loved one went to treatment for alcohol addiction that I started to question the environment that I looked forward to and prized and how it influences the community.
This notion that alcohol is fun and creates a better social atmosphere is by no means exclusive to Grand Forks, and I do not equate my loved one's addiction with singing songs about beer at hockey games. I do, however, see the atmosphere allows addictions and drinking problems to grow without question.
I was disappointed with a city ordinance that allows adolescents to attend special ceremonies, such as weddings, at bars. Although there is often alcohol present at these functions regardless of venue, the difference is that a hotel or the Alerus Center's sole purpose is not to sell alcohol. Having adolescents present in venues whose focus is to sell alcohol is very problematic, as availability and visibility to substances significantly increases the likelihood that the individual will start using, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Additionally, youth who use alcohol before the age of 15 are five times more likely to develop a substance use disorder, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Alcohol even makes an appearance at office barbecues, local street fairs, and outdoor fashion shows. These are more examples of what our community prioritizes. Serving alcohol at these events reinforces the idea that in order to enjoy yourself at these events, alcohol must be present.
As a society, we relate binge drinking to having fun and "being young." I find the idea that in order to let loose and enjoy yourself requires drinking alcohol and not just one beer, but heavily consuming it, troubling. This is consistent with national statistics, as 90 percent of alcohol consumed by adolescents is in the form of binge drinking (CDC). Unfortunately, as my loved one struggled with addiction, I never wondered if their drinking was more than just "having fun" because I was immersed in a culture where getting drunk was the norm.
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I am not so naïve to believe that a letter in the Herald will change the cultural and societal norms, but I hope it sparks conversations. The dialogue that may follow will not be easy, but I urge others to start discussing how alcohol plays a role in their personal lives and those within Grand Forks. Conversing about the impacts of alcohol can spark intervention before drinking spirals out of control leading to harmful effects on physical and mental health, relationships, finances, and our community.
Although I no longer live in Grand Forks, it will always be my hometown and a place I hold near to my heart. The characteristics that Grand Forks should emphasize are the Greenway, strong athletic and fine arts programs, quality education, local businesses that have thrived for generations, and neighbors helping neighbors. I do not want Grand Forks to be known for having alcohol as the focal point of events; I want to think of the greatness that Grand Forks has and the continued efforts to improve the quality of life within the community.
Stephanie Swanson is a graduate of Red River High School. She now resides in Washington, D.C., and works at the National Council for Behavioral Health.
