Alcohol News: October 2004
Friday, October 29, 2004
The Alcohol Law Enforcement (ALE), Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) heighten patrol for Halloween
The East Carolinian, NC, October 28, 2004
The Alcohol Law Enforcement (ALE) and ABC Board are working in conjunction with the local police agencies to increase the amount of security during the upcoming Halloween festivities in an effort to prevent incidents from occurring.
Jay Smith, Alcohol Law Enforcement supervisor of the New Bern district, said there will be more than double the number of ALE officers working in Greenville on Halloween than during a typical weekend night. The ALE plans to perform its usual services by looking for law violations in typical places, but its goal is not to see how many citations an officer can give in one night.
"We'll be checking clubs, gatherings, looking for underage drinkers, fraud Ids, ensuring bars are obeying all laws," said Smith.
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Community Changes Result in Safer Halloween
Spilled beer in fair planning
Daytona Beach News-Journal, FL, October 27, 2004
The Volusia County Fair Association's decision to sell beer at this year's Fair and Youth Show put the County Council in a tight spot, needlessly.
The association had a reasonable plan for managing beer sales at the event, which starts Nov. 4. Members had a survey showing that most Florida fairs offer some form of alcoholic beverage, and they had a solid rationale for their decision: They wanted to be able to pay for more parking and improve buildings without dipping into county tax coffers.
If fair officials had given county officials some notice, and a chance to debate the plan, it might have worked -- despite the fact that beer sales seem inimical to the fair's family friendly mission.
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Reducing Alcohol Problems at Community Events
CHAMPIONSHIP BOUT: Harvard Can Learn From ALCS Tragedy
The Harvard Crimson, MA, October 27, 2004
After one of the most thrilling and inspiring comebacks in sports history climaxed a week ago today with the Red Sox defeating the Yankees 4-3 in the American League Championship Series, Boston erupted in celebration. Jubilation quickly turned to tragedy, however, as 21-year-old Emerson College junior Victoria Snelgrove was killed after Boston police fired a plastic projectile of pepper spray into the crowd, striking her in the eye. By all accounts, Snelgrove was an innocent bystander who was simply rejoicing over the victory of her beloved Red Sox.
In the immediate aftermath of the horrible tragedy, Boston mayor Thomas Menino seemed to blame the fans rather than the poor use of the projectile weapons when he threatened to close liquor sales in all bars around Fenway Park during the World Series. To their credit, the mayor and the Boston Police administration later backed off of those threats and also promised a full investigation into any wrongdoing surrounding Snelgrove’s death.
Boston mayor Thomas Menino’s proclamation probably struck a chord with many Harvard students who have been reading reports with trepidation about the planning for this year’s Harvard-Yale game. For those who haven’t been keeping up, Boston police have decided to take a much harder stance on underage drinking at the tailgates this year than in years past. The Crimson reported earlier this month that Boston Police Captain William Evans wants to drastically curb public underage drinking at tailgates both at Boston College and Harvard.
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Take Action -- Set the Record Straight!
Drownings haunt Wis. college town
USA Today, October 28, 2004
The last time anyone saw Jared Dion alive, he was trying to beat last call at a Third Street bar on Easter weekend.
By the time a police diver pulled his body from the Mississippi River five days later, many residents here believed that the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse senior had become the victim of a serial killer.
Dion was the sixth man to drown in La Crosse since 1997. All were white, ages 19-28. Four were college students. All had a blood-alcohol level greater than 0.22%, nearly three times the legal limit to drive.
But Police Chief Ed Kondracki says there is no indication of foul play in any of the drownings. In Dion's case there were no signs of trauma. An autopsy showed that Dion, 21, a business major from Merton, had a blood-alcohol level of 0.40% - a near-fatal level. Police believe he was drunk, wandered to the park and fell off a 10-foot retaining wall into icy water.
"Yeah, there's a serial killer out there. He goes by the name of alcohol," Kondracki says.
La Crosse is typical of many Wisconsin towns. German and Swedish immigrants built this city of 52,000 by logging and brewing beer. Taverns became a focal point for community activity.
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Thursday, October 28, 2004
Secondhand Alcohol Impact Claimed Boston Fan's Life
JoinTogether.org, October 28, 2004
The Marin Institute: Action Alert
After police unintentionally killed 21 year-old Victoria Snelgrove while trying to control the alcohol-fueled violence following the Red Sox's victory over the Yankees, Boston-area bar owners succeeded in shifting responsibility away from their own unsafe serving practices by blaming live TV coverage for the rowdy fans. We wrote a letter to the editor of a local paper--The San Francisco Chronicle--correcting this misrepresentation and introducing the idea of "secondhand alcohol impacts."
A similar news story from Associated Press may have appeared in your local paper on Saturday, October 23. We encourage you to write your own letter to the editor--using ours as a model, if you like--to set the record straight. The sooner you write, the better. Even though the Red Sox have won the World Series, we think that Boston -- the city not the team -- is a loser for failing to address secondhand alcohol impacts. Write your letter now; it will still be timely for several days.
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Students across nation try to crash PBR frat's party
Oregon Live, OR, October 26, 2004
CORVALLIS -- It's no coincidence that the newest fraternity at Oregon State University is Pi Beta Rho -- PBR for short.
Ever since the campus newspaper ran a story last week on the brewer-supported fraternity, the PBR Boys, as they're known around here, have gotten a flood of questions about how they convinced Pabst to sign on to their beer-fueled brainstorm.
He and his five cohorts have gotten e-mails from students at Washington State, MIT, Purdue, North Carolina State and the University of Michigan's rugby team, among others, asking how they can start their own PBR chapter.
Pabst has given the unaffiliated fraternity a list of goodies, including signs, T-shirts and even a dartboard.The buddies, all at least 21, contacted Pabst about their idea via telephone and e-mail after finals last spring and won the approval of Pabst marketing gurus for what they think is the first beer brand-backing of a student group.
After a long period of declining consumption, the blue-collar beer has gotten a boost in recent years from college students and other younger imbibers who are buying into its newly hip image. In 2003, PBR sales spiked 15 percent nationally, with Portland and Seattle emerging as the biggest markets, Stewart said.
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The Truth Behind “Party Schools”
Want to Prevent Alcohol Problems on Campus? Start Here.
Stepping Up head rips city on 21-ordinance
Daily Iowan IA, October 26, 2004
The Stepping Up Project's coordinator, a staunch supporter of the local 21-ordinance, argued Monday that the Iowa City City Council "has chosen to follow the money instead of doing what's best" for the community by axing the proposal.
Cutting the ordinance, which would have banned patrons under 21 from the bars after 10 p.m., unleashes a wealth of public-health and safety problems that will linger until properly addressed, Jim Clayton said in an interview. Businesses cannot pay the high downtown rents, creating an abundance of bars, he said.
"How long are we going to let the alcohol industry dictate the community?" he asked, saying councilors who voted in favor of keeping the tamer 19-ordinance need to publicly explain their votes.
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Alcohol's external costs
Dallas Morning News, TX, October 26, 2004
The "Alcohol backers aim for May" story mentioned that Garland's alcohol sales petition is being spearheaded by Garland Citizens for Economic Development.
The Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse says that the economic costs of alcohol-related harm in Texas in 2000 was about $16.4 billion. At the previously reported growth rate, this year's alcohol cost in Texas will be in the $22 billion range. However, the Texas comptroller's office says that total state alcohol taxes are only about $1 billion. Expanding the alcohol business appears to be more like "economic disaster" than "economic development."
Since the alcohol industry and its customers do not pay anywhere near sufficient taxes to cover the car crashes, crime and diseases associated with alcohol use, who do you think pays most of this bar tab? Common sense says that the public pays - directly when they are the crime or accident victim, indirectly through higher taxes and insurance.
If the citizens of Garland think expanding alcohol sales is economic development, I've got some oceanfront property in Tyler for sale.
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More on the Costs of Alcohol
Costs of Underage Drinking
Wednesday, October 27, 2004
Officials: Alcohol-related fatalities up on Halloween
Washington Oberserver Reporter, PA, October 27, 2004
Safety officers at the state Department of Transportation said statistics are showing that Halloween is getting to be as dangerous as New Year's Eve when it comes to alcohol-related fatalities.
"We started noticing the reports last year, and we've been looking at it," said Jay Ofsanik, safety press officer for PENNDOT District 12. "It is not a holiday, you'd normally look at. But it is a holiday we are putting on our watch list."
"Halloween parties are getting very popular and unfortunately among adults there are some who will choose to drink and drive home," Ofsanik said.
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Community Changes Result in Safer Halloween
Students 'Plant the Promise' of drug, alcohol abstinence
Contra Costa Times, CA, October 27, 2004
More than 100,000 schools and organizations are involved in this year's "Plant the Promise" celebration, which ends Sunday. ...students in the San Ramon Valley school district will be tying red ribbons all over the community. The red ribbons symbolize taking action in our neighborhoods and schools, and developing an attitude of intolerance toward substance abuse.
According to Kim Gallagher, project director for Youth to Youth and a board member of CASA, alcohol is the No. 1 drug of choice among the nation's youths -- and the San Ramon Valley's. Underage drinking each year costs people $53 billion nationally, not to mention the loss of young lives.
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Ban on TV beer ads proposed
The Duke Chronicle, NC, October 26, 2004
Over the last year, the “Campaign for Alcohol-Free Sports TV” has been striving to ban all alcohol advertising from college sports. Rep. Tom Osborne, R-Neb., former North Carolina basketball coach Dean Smith and the Center for Science in the Public Interest are leading the campaign, which has been endorsed by more than 150 organizations.
Osborne has proposed a resolution in the House of Representatives that would urge the NCAA and its member schools to ban alcohol advertising from radio and television broadcasts of collegiate athletic events. The resolution was recently attached to a larger bill that proposes funding for the prevention of underage drinking.
A study conducted by the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth showed that in 2002, alcohol companies spent $58 million on advertising during college sports. Fifty-eight percent of this came from four major beer brands: Bud Light, Miller Lite, Coors Light and Budweiser. Of the $58 million, $27 million was spent on advertising during the 2002 NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament, which featured 939 alcohol ads, more than the Super Bowl, World Series, Monday Night Football and college bowl games combined.
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Tuesday, October 26, 2004
Pick-up service for intoxicated teens has community at odds
The Advocate, CT, October 25, 2004
The program [Safe Rides], which has been successful in Greenwich and Darien, gives intoxicated teens the chance to call volunteers who will pick them up and drive them home. But the program has proven controversial, with opponents saying it implies an acceptance of underage drinking and encourages it by providing a taxi service drinkers can turn to without repercussions.
Instead of Safe Rides, Gary Najarian-Alustiza, project director for the Connecticut Coalition to Stop Underage Drinking, recommends that groups work to eliminate underage drinking by educating parents, cracking down on illegal alcohol sales and teaching students the dangers of drinking.
Members of SADD (Students Against Driving Drunk) chapters at Westhill and Stamford high schools said that goal is unrealistic. In recent meetings with the city's Youth Services Bureau, about two dozen SADD members unanimously selected Safe Rides as the best way to prevent more deaths.
Stamford youth services Director Mary Willis said the city will consider every opinion before deciding whether to support a Safe Rides program.
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Facts on Alcohol and Youth
"Reduce Underage Drinking"
Council caves once again on drinking
Iowa City Press-Citizen, IA, October 25, 2004
Once again, Iowa City councilors showed no spine in standing up to the downtown drinking problem. Rather than adopt a 21-only bar entry age to match the drinking age, the council will allow establishments to police themselves, which in short means more of the same.
All the evidence of the past year indicates that the current, ambiguous, 19-some-of-the-time ordinance is ineffective in dealing with this problem. A variety of city groups and officials, including the city's own police chief, have recommended a 21-only entry age....Yet the majority of the council ignored the overwhelming evidence and expert advice.
Instead, the council will opt for the creation of an "Alcohol Board" charged with keeping booze out of the hands who shouldn't have it....More than one member of the proposed board has publicly said that a 21-only law would run him out of business. Ironically, the core cause of underage drinking in downtown Iowa City is access. If access were eliminated, drinking would become that much more difficult.
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Colleges switch tactics to fight alcohol abuse
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch, MO, October 25, 2004
The Web site shows a picture of five students laughing together on the campus lawn. The message below it reads, "Two out of three Washington University students have four or fewer drinks when they party."
It's an approach to curbing alcohol abuse among college and university campuses called "social norming" - showing that those who binge-drink or drive drunk are actually on the fringe. That not everyone else is doing it.
It's a simple concept: Provide accurate information about student drinking through long-term mass marketing techniques and, hopefully, reduce high-risk behaviors. It's an effort to show that the majority of students are either not drinking at all or drinking responsibly.
Researchers will be paying close attention to the campaign at Washington University. It is one of 32 colleges and universities chosen to participate in a five-year national study on the social norm approach, which is giving some colleges hope in curbing their alcohol-related problems.
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Monday, October 25, 2004
Boston mayor backs off alcohol ban
Seattle Post Intelligencer, WA , October 22, 2004
BOSTON -- The death of a college student from a pepper-spray-filled projectile sparked anger and questions yesterday about whether police used too much force to break up rowdy Red Sox revelers outside Fenway Park.
The mayor said more police will be at neighborhood bars during the World Series to make sure fans do not get too drunk or rowdy, but he backed off his threat to ban alcohol in the area during the games.
Mayor Thomas Menino decided against invoking a rarely used state law to ban the sale of alcohol "in cases of riot or great public excitement" after meeting with about two dozen bar and restaurant owners yesterday.
Instead, the city and bar owners agreed to limit the number of people lining up to get inside Fenway-area clubs and to prevent live television coverage inside the bars so that patrons do not get rambunctious as they play to the cameras.
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Reducing Alcohol Problems at Community Events
Alcohol and Violence
Winery starts breast cancer fund-raising campaign
Marin Independent Journal, CA, October 24, 2004
Four years ago, when Sutter Home executive Terry Wheatley returned to work from breast cancer treatment, she found she wasn't alone. A number of other women at the winery had also survived the disease, including company co-owner Vera Trinchero Torres.
The women started talking to each other almost immediately and soon became interested in communicating with a larger audience, hoping to spread information about the importance of early detection to their consumers, 60 percent of whom are women. The result is a campaign that enters its fourth year this fall, one of scores of promotions nationwide tied into October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
However, the marketing approach is not without its critics. The San Francisco-based Breast Cancer Action advocacy group recommends that consumers "Think Before You Pink," checking to see whether companies are making a significant donation - or are promoting products that may increase the risk of the disease.
In Sutter Home's case, the $1 donation is a substantial 25 percent of the average retail cost of about $4 a bottle. But Barbara Brenner, executive director of Breast Cancer Action, questions putting a pink ribbon on wine. "There are relatively few things, unfortunately, that women can do now to reduce their risk of breast cancer, but controlling their alcohol consumption is one of them," says Brenner.
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Sutter Home is full of false hopes! Take Action!
Breast Cancer and Alcohol in Marin
Not your father's beer: your grandfather's
The Boston Globe, October 20, 2004
SOMERVILLE -- At Downtown Wine & Spirits in Davis Square on a recent Friday evening, among the professionals in business suits stopping to pick up a bottle of wine or a microbrew on the way home, you're likely to see a stream of 20-somethings buying six-packs -- even 30-packs -- of Pabst Blue Ribbon beer.
In a trend that came barreling out of the West Coast three years ago, but took a while to roll into Boston, a young demographic that includes bike messengers, snowboarders, artists, and musicians has adopted PBR as its beverage of choice. For now.
Longtime bartender Irene Davis of Allston's Silhouette Lounge explains its appeal this way: "It's cheap, it's cold, and it's tall," she says, referring to the 16-ounce cans of PBR at the popular hangout. Nancy Walter, 29, standing in line at Downtown with a 16-ounce can of PBR, mentioned that her younger brother also thinks it's cool.
A comeback like this always draws the industry's attention. In the case of PBR, sales are due partly to nostalgia and partly to a concerted effort by the beer company to underwrite events where future buyers might be. It has been subtle marketing at its best.
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Alcohol Advertising and Youth
Delayed Alcohol Use Linked to Fewer Problems with Abuse or Dependence as Adults
JTO.org, October 23, 2004
Persons reporting they first used alcohol before age 15 are more than five times as likely to report past year alcohol dependence or abuse as adults than those who first used alcohol at age 21 or older. These are the conclusions of a special analysis of the 2003 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, announced Friday by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
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Physiological Effects of Adolescent Alcohol Use
Alcohol and Youth Facts
Where is outrage for Gordie?
Denver Post Opinion, CO, October 24, 2004
Gordie, the perpetually grinning 18-year-old from Dallas, died while pledging for the Chi Psi fraternity. News accounts say he and 26 other pledges were told to down six bottles of wine and four bottles of whiskey in a half hour.
Many college administrators have adopted a don't-ask-don't-tell attitude toward drinking at frats. They justify it by saying that a drink now and then is no big deal, especially if those who drink avoid driving.
But it is a big deal, and it's getting bigger. About 44 percent of college students binge drink, according to a survey of 14,000 students in 39 states by the Harvard School of Public Health. That number has increased since the survey was first published 10 years ago. (At the other extreme, the number of students abstaining has also increased, meaning campuses are sharply divided between drinkers and non-drinkers.)
We all pay for the excesses of binge drinkers. They are responsible for a disproportionate share of sexual assaults, beatings, vandalism and car crashes. There are all sorts of victims, including people like Gordie, who tried binge drinking just once, under pressure. In his speech to an auditorium full of crying students at last month's memorial service here, Gordie's stepfather, Michael Lanahan, summed it up in two words: "Alcohol kills."
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The Truth Behind “Party Schools”
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Friday, October 22, 2004
Boston Fan Death May Prompt Alcohol Ban
Lexington Herald-Leader, KY, October 22, 2004
Mayor Thomas Menino said he was considering banning alcohol sales near Fenway Park during the World Series, following rowdy celebrations of the Red Sox's league championship that turned deadly when a police officer shot a projectile into a crowd.
Menino planned to meet with bar and nightclub owners Friday and also said he would press colleges to expel students found guilty of criminal conduct in the melee.
"Since people won't accept responsibility, I, as mayor, will take it into my own hands," Menino said.
Menino said that to avoid a repeat of the rowdiness in his city, he was considering imposing the alcohol-sales ban through a state law never before used in Boston. The law lets him ban sale or distribution of alcohol "in cases of riot or great public excitement."
He said he may also ask bar and restaurant operators not to let television stations broadcast live scenes from inside their establishments during games.
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Volusia, FL, slams door on beer sales at fair
Daytona Beach News Journal, FL, October 22, 2004
Beer lovers won't get a chance to enjoy the high life at the Volusia County fair next month.
The County Council on Thursday unanimously enacted an emergency ordinance banning alcohol sales at the annual fair Nov. 4-14, which quashed the fair board's plan to sell beer for the first time in hopes of raising more revenue for capital projects.
Selling beer at the event -- which has long been called the Youth Fair and Expo -- was "a business decision" and follows what many other fairs have done across Florida, Executive Director David Viers said.
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Reducing Problems at Events
Chargers-Raiders game security will be boosted
San Diego Union-Tribune, CA, October 21, 2004
The San Diego Chargers will boost security and restrict alcohol sales at the Oct. 31 game against the Oakland Raiders at Qualcomm Stadium, authorities announced yesterday.
Alcohol sales in the stadium will cease at the end of halftime, and purchases will be limited to one per order.
Alcohol abuse will not be tolerated in the parking lot, Lt. Mike Cash said.
"The bottom line," Cash said, is that "fans that drink too much in the parking lot will be denied entry and fans that fight will go to jail."
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Liquor industry fights new rule
Associated Press, October 16, 2004
The maker of a popular malt beverage that includes distilled liquor filed a lawsuit Friday, seeking to overturn a state rule banning the sale of such drinks in grocery stores as of Dec. 31.
Diageo-Guinness USA Inc., which makes Smirnoff Ice, said it is asking the state Court of Appeals to invalidate a regulation adopted by the Oregon Liquor Control Commission.
The company contends that the OLCC did not comply with rule-making requirements under state law.
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Reducing Underage Drinking in Oregon
Thursday, October 21, 2004
Gays and Alcoholism: Breaking the Chain
Windy city Media Group, United States, October 20, 2004
The facts, ironically, are most sobering. The rates of both alcohol consumption and alcohol problems are higher among lesbians and gay men than in the general population. Even worse, LGBT youths appear to use alcohol and other drugs more than other young people. While there are genetic factors involved (which are the primary influences typical of Type 2 alcoholism), some argue that environmental factors (which, along with genetic factors, are typical of Type 1 alcoholism) are the ones that primarily influence members of the GLBT community to drink heavily. Environmental issues can range from dealing with “coming out” to being bombarded with suggestive advertising.
Recently, a national alcoholism strategy session/forum was held in Chicago that looked at environmental factors that could put the GLBT community at greater risk. Several groups, including The Chicago Department of Public Health’s Office of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Health; the Marin Institute of northern California; and the Association of Latino Men for Action (ALMA), hosted the event. Windy City Times spoke with Julio Rodriguez, the president of ALMA and a forum participant ...
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Officials Studying Alcohol Use Among GLBTs
Press Release: LGBT Community Seeks Solutions to...Alcohol Problems
Binge Drinking May Be Bad for the Blood
Forbes.com, October 15, 2004
HealthDayNews -- Moderate alcohol use has been shown to be healthier for the heart than abstinence or heavy drinking, but consuming large amounts of alcohol in a short period of time has been linked to higher death rates from all causes, including cardiovascular ones.
Platelets are the disk-shaped cells responsible for forming clots and repairing small breaks in the walls of blood vessels. When people binge on alcohol, it increases platelet aggregation, meaning more platelets stick together, according to the study in the October issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research.
Drinking large qualities in a short span of time -- "binge drinking" -- also inhibits platelet adhesion, meaning platelets won't stick as readily to a damaged vessel wall.
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Lawmaker: ban alcohol at all Oklahoma colleges
KFOR-TV, OK, October 21, 2004
One state lawmaker is trying to ban all drinking on Oklahoma's college campuses. The move comes in response to the death of 19-year-old Blake Hammontree, who was found dead in the Sigma Chi fraternity house at OU.
State representative Fred Perry from Tulsa is preparing a bill that would ban alcohol and call for the removal of a Greek organization's charter if that organization is caught with alcohol multiple times.
"Parents are not sending their kids up there to drink, they're up there to get a positive education," Perry said. "You don't get that with alcohol readily available."
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The Truth Behind “Party Schools”
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State University of New York Gets $100,000 from Big Alcohol's "Anti-Drinking" Front Group
BigAlcohol.com, October 21, 2004
Funded with a $100,000 private grant, the State University of New York on Wednesday began a campaign against binge drinking on campuses.
The grant is from The Century Council, a controversial group funded by Big Alcohol that has invested more than $130 million since 1991 in anti-drunk driving and other programs to stop alcohol abuse.
SUNY will also use the money and the technical assistance from the council in its multiyear plan to reduce alcohol abuse and limit drunk driving and related crimes from disorderly conduct to rape and other consequences. The plan includes assessment of the problem, education, intervention and treatment programs and enforcement. SUNY's 64 campuses will be able to tailor their program to specific local concerns.
The real rub in this funding is not the motivation of the people at SUNY that wish to see the problems with alcohol greatly reduced, but the fact that the source of the money taints their ability to get honest about the problem. The average college student sees 55,000 alcohol advertisements every year. Big Alcohol targets college students, all students, 75% of which are under the legal drinking age. Big Alcohol makes 20% of its money from underage drinkers and 30% from problem drinkers.
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Wednesday, October 20, 2004
Genes can trigger or protect against alcohol dependency
The Boston Globe, October 19, 2004
In the old days, people used to debate whether alcoholism was a disease or a moral failing. Now it is abundantly clear that not only is it a disease but one with a strong genetic component.
At least 50 percent of the vulnerability to alcoholism is now believed to be triggered by genetics, and the other 50 percent by environment, such as living in a culture where heavy drinking is endemic.
Even with no genetic predisposition, people can become alcoholics by constant exposure to alcohol, which turns on genes in brain cells ''that set up a vicious cycle of wanting or needing more and more alcohol," said Bill Carlezon, director of the Behavioral Genetics Laboratory at McLean Hospital.
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Recovery and Prevention Working Together
Coors discusses war, tuition, economy
Rocky Mountain Collegian, CO, October 20, 2004
Pete Coors is the Republican candidate running for the U.S. Senate seat for Colorado.
Q: You have said you would like to lower the drinking age in Colorado to 18, correct?
A: No.
Q: Well I wanted to clear this issue up.
A: Let's clear it up. I said given the right legislation I personally would vote for lowering the drinking age but what I said is this is a state issue not a federal issue and I'm running for the U.S. Senate not the Colorado Senate. It is not my agenda. I do not intend to make it my agenda. The 21st Amendment gave the states the right to regulate alcoholic beverages. That is where the issue should be resolved and not on the floor of the U.S. Senate and I don't intend to do it on the floor of the U.S. Senate because it would be inappropriate. It would be a violation of our constitutional state's right.
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Our response to Pete Coors' past statements
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Sheriff arrests strip club operators
Aberdeen News, AP Wire, SD, October 19, 2004
County Sheriff has arrested two men involved with a strip club near Fort Thompson on charges of selling alcohol without a license.
Stan Wellner reopened the Prairie Chicken in time for hunting season last week as an alcohol license appeal with the county works its way through the courts. In the meantime, he decided to offer free drinks to customers in exchange for a $50 cover charge.
The club, located about five miles east of Fort Thompson on the Crow Creek Indian Reservation, does not have a county-issued liquor license but does hold a tribal license.
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French Doctors Make Appeal Over Wine Ads
Newsday.com, AP Wire, October 18, 2004
French doctors appealed on Monday to President Jacques Chirac to intervene and stop changes in wine advertising rules the physicians fear will lead to more deaths from alcohol-related illnesses and drunk driving.
"We're calling on the president, whose main policy priorities are undermined by this vote, to make it clear that public health comes first," association director Patrick Elineau said.
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More on the "French Paradox"
Problematic Wine Ad in the U.S.
Friday, October 15, 2004
War on drugs hits home
The Middletown Press, CT, October 15, 2004
The Durham/Middlefield Local Prevention Council hosted a community discussion called "Our Towns Our Kids" Thursday night, which drew approximately 70 people, to raise awareness about substance abuse by youths and teens.
According to the report, more than 50 middle school students use alcohol -- minimally -- ona monthly basis... Nearly 200 freshmen and sophomores are drinking alcohol on a daily to monthly basis, according to the report’s findings.
Among the drinks mentioned by the students were Mike’s Hard Lemonade, Budweiser, Bacardi, Smirnoff Ice, Absolut Vodka and Kahlua.
The students said they drank because they liked the effects, it made them feel older, and because they could, according to the survey.
By changing the environment, youths can be prevented or deterred from substance abuse, Welsh said.
Among those ways include the local ordinances prohibiting underage drinking at house parties.
"Prevention works. It’s that simple," Durham/Middlefield Youth and Family Services Director and council co-chairwoman Deborah Reade said. "We need to get these kids doing other activities.
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More on "Reducing Underage Drinking"
Thursday, October 14, 2004
Consider binge drinking in college decision
Tri Valley Dispatch, AZ, October 12, 2004
A friend and colleague contacted me recently about the issue of heavy drinking and underage drinking near college campuses. His college-age daughter had just taken her roommate to the emergency room for alcohol poisoning. The young woman had consumed so much alcohol that she not only was drunk, she was seriously ill and in danger of dying from an overdose of alcohol.
This type of incident is not at all uncommon. "Some 1,400 college students between the ages of 18 and 24 die every year as a result of hazardous drinking, and a half million suffer unintentional injuries under the influence of alcohol." And physical injury is not the only risk. Young people are also more likely to commit crimes, and be victims of crime, when drinking.
At this time of year, parents and their high-school-age students are beginning to consider colleges - the academic opportunities, athletic scholarships, how close (or far) the college is from their home, the cost, housing choices and a myriad of other factors to make their decision. What the teens are not telling the parents is that they also consider whether that particular college is a "party school."
According to the Marin Institute's Web site (marininstitute.org), The Princeton Review, publishes an annual handbook called "The Best 351 Colleges." ...What the media overlooks, and the guide fails to report, are the problems that often come with partying: excessive student drinking, alcohol poisoning, injuries, assaults, academic failure, arrests, vandalism and many other health and social problems.
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The Truth Behind "Party Schools"
Recent alcohol checks reveal many don't ask youth for IDs
Dunn County News, WI, October 13, 2004
In the last few months, a number of area establishments that serve and/or sell alcohol have been put to the test -- and a disappointing number have failed miserably.
Research led the group to discover that alcohol compliance checks have been found to work well in reducing access to alcohol by underage people.
"With vigorous, ongoing compliance checks, underage sales decrease," Gamez said. "We know this is not the only way underage people get their alcohol, but it is one way. And maybe by working in cooperation with law enforcement and with beverage server training, we can start to see a change in our community."
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Alcohol and Youth Fact Sheet
Wednesday, October 13, 2004
Television Alcohol Ads Bombarding Teens Continue to Rise
Camy.org, Washington, DC, October 12, 2004
Alcohol industry advertising on television maintained a steady path of growth between 2001 and 2003, driven in part by an explosion of distilled spirits ads on cable television. These findings, released in a new study from the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth (CAMY) at Georgetown University, demonstrate how little the national debate about alcohol advertising and underage drinking has led the alcohol industry to change its practices through 2003.
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Coors Ads on American Idol
Bush dubs Coors "the right man"
The Denver Post, CO, October 12, 2004
President Bush, at a fundraising lunch for Pete Coors, pressed the case Monday for electing the Republican beer- company owner to the U.S. Senate.
"The right man for the United States Senate from Colorado is Pete Coors," Bush said at the event at Wings Over the Rockies museum. "I like his judgment. I like his experience. I like his values. I like the fact that he'll bring some common sense to the halls of the United States Senate."
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Peter Coors Reconsiders 21 Drinking Age
Underage-drinking ordinance that targets adults who allow parties is struck down
San Diego Union-Tribune, CA, October 12, 2004
A San Diego city law aimed at curbing underage drinking by punishing adults who allow parties where young people drink has been struck down by a panel of Superior Court judges.
Ruling on a case involving a University of San Diego student who was cited under the city's House Party Ordinance, the judges said the law is unconstitutional because it does not contain the basic legal requirement that an adult has the knowledge that minors are drinking alcohol at the party.
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Another Option: Keg Tagging
Tuesday, October 12, 2004
Miller Brewing Locks Down Groundbreaking Deal With Univision
Market Wire, October 8, 2004
Miller Brewing Company and Univision Communications Inc. announced today a major cross-platform advertising and marketing deal between America's second-largest brewer and the nation's leading Spanish-language media company.
The $100 million-plus, three-year agreement will incorporate on-air advertisements, expanded property sponsorships and ownerships, substantial brand integration and sponsored public awareness vignettes on the following Univision outlets.
For Miller, this partnership is a pivotal step in the company's high-priority initiative to grow its business among Hispanic legal-drinking-age consumers. The Miller Trademark has shown growth over the past year-plus, and must begin to more effectively attract Hispanic beer drinkers to build on that momentum. The Univision deal is Miller's biggest commitment ever to Hispanic marketing.
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Teenagers and alcohol
U.S. News & World Report, October 12, 2004
... adolescent drinking causes all sorts of immediate problems, ranging from sleeplessness to reduced cognitive functioning to an increased likelihood of trying other drugs. Researchers at the University of Washington tracked a group of Seattle students, now in their 20s, to see whether adolescent drinking can have longer-term health consequences as well.
Not surprisingly, the group that rarely or never engaged in drinking binges as teenagers were in the best health at age 24... They were also the least likely to engage in risky behaviors, such as driving without a seat belt or under the influence of drugs. Chronic binge drinkers were in the worst shape; they were much more likely to be obese and have high blood pressure than the other groups. Both late onsetters and escalators were more likely to engage in risky behaviors at age 24 than those who did not go on drinking binges as teenagers.
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Alcohol and Youth Facts
What happens when you mix alcohol and energy drinks?
The Dallas Morning News, TX, October 11, 2004
Even as last call approaches on Lower Greenville Avenue, the streets are packed, the crowds are loud and most bar patrons don't seem ready for bed.
Some rely on the groove of the music or the shake of the dance floor to keep them up for the after party, but others sip energy drinks mixed with alcohol for a long-lasting buzz.
Energy mixers may make people feel they're more alert, says researcher Maria Lucia Souza-Formigoni, but the alcohol has an impact on their motor skills.
A study published in last month's Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research says that energy drinks' mood and performance boosters, including caffeine and other stimulants, can't counteract the alcohol in the mixed drinks.
"One will feel better, less sleepy, but one's performance may be as bad as if only alcohol was ingested," she said in an e-mail.
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$750,000 grant to county targets binge drinking
Santa Cruz Sentinel, CA, October 10, 2004
Santa Cruz County attracts tourists, university students and, as it turns out, liquor stores. This trio creates an ideal atmosphere for binge drinking, county health officials say.
"Most of the problems in the criminal justice system are driven by alcohol and drugs," said Bill Manov, director of the Santa Cruz County Alcohol and Drug Program. According to Manov, 59 percent of misdemeanor arrests in this county are related to drinking.
Santa Cruz also has 29 percent more liquor vendors per person than the state average, according to a 2004 county study, "Community Indicators of Alcohol and Drug Use."
Hoping to address this problem, the county will receive up to $750,000 in funding over three years to prevent and reduce binge drinking by young adults.
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Solutions to Alcohol-Related Problems
Monday, October 11, 2004
Five binge-drinking deaths 'just the tip of the iceberg'
USA Today, October 7, 2004
This month has been deadly for binge-drinking college students.
Five underclassmen in four states appear to have drunk themselves to death, police say, after friends sent their pals to bed assuming that they would "sleep it off."
Some college presidents are promising to crack down on underage drinking - four of the students were too young to drink legally. Others have shut down fraternity houses where bodies were found.
But one expert calls those moves too little, too late. "It's locking the barn door after the horse has been stolen," says Henry Wechsler, a Harvard University researcher who has studied campus drinking. He says schools with weak enforcement of drinking rules put students at greater risk.
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The Truth Behind Party Schools
Cops get tough on teen drinking
Marin Independent Journal, CA, October 9, 2004
Action comes after 10 Novato students are suspended. The Novato Police Department has announced a crackdown on underage drinking and illegal sales of booze, a move that follows the alcohol-related suspensions this week of 10 Novato high school students.
Ten students from Novato and San Marin high schools - eight boys and two girls - were suspended after being found under the influence of alcohol on the San Marin campus after homecoming football games at both schools last Saturday, district officials said.
"I think these are good kids who made a bad decision," Novato Unified School District Superintendent Jan La Torre-Derby said. "Our consequences are rigid."
"Novato is going to be a laboratory for what other communities are going to be looking into doing and they're just a step or two ahead," said Laurie Leiber of the Marin Institute, which studies alcohol use issues.
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More on the Economic Costs of Underage Drinking
Battle brews for young drinkers
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Business and Your Money, WI, October 9, 2004
Since 2000, beer's share of the overall alcohol beverage market has eroded, while the share held by wine and spirits has increased, particularly among younger consumers, industry observers say.
Just shy of her 22nd birthday, Kelly Bannen is the type of customer that big brewers such as Anheuser-Busch Inc. and Miller Brewing Co. pay dearly to reach.
Bannen's age group, people 21 to 24, account for 30% of the nation's beer consumption. Get 'em while they're young, and you could win a lifelong customer, marketing experts say.
There's just one problem: Bannen is among a growing number of young drinkers who don't like beer. Much of beer's decline is tied to inroads that sellers of vodka, tequila and other spirits have made with consumers in their 20s. Propelled by aggressive marketing, a new generation of drinkers is showing a growing preference for sweeter drinks, such as martinis and other cocktails made with fruit-flavored spirits.
St. Louis-based Anheuser-Busch last week launched a new beer - spiked with caffeine, ginseng and fruit flavors - to help broaden its appeal to young consumers. Other new drinks may follow, said executives at Anheuser-Busch, the nation's largest brewer.
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Alcohol and Youth Facts
Twice as high
New York Post, NY, October 6, 2004
Having hooked countless teens and young adults on caffeine, Starbucks now hopes to hook them on hooch. The company has partnered with Jim Beam to develop and market a Starbucks-brand liqueur to sell in liquor stores and bars - and some consumers are up in arms. "Starbucks is beginning to market liquor to their loyal brand customers, and I for one am outraged - because my 14-year-old daughter is one of them," griped a customer on stardrunks.com, a site that posts complaints about the chain. A company spokesman said: "Starbucks Coffee Liqueur is intended for adults of legal purchase age seeking a premium quality liqueur beverage. This product is directed toward mature customers who seek premium products."
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Thursday, October 7, 2004
Georgia Tech, Atlanta Police Department Announce Alcohol Hotline
Ascribe Newswire, October 6, 2004
Atlanta residents have a new tool to help combat underage drinking, the GT SMART Tip Hotline. Georgia Tech and the Atlanta Police Department (APD) announced a partnership today to operate the hotline that allows concerned citizens to anonymously report establishments suspected of serving alcohol to minors and intoxicated persons.
Establishing the tipline is just the latest in a series of partnerships GT SMART has formed with the city of Atlanta this year to reduce high risk drinking.
"The safety of our students and our communities is our primary concern, said Marsha Brinkley, project director of GT SMART. The training program helps establishments develop service policies and teach their staff how to handle situations in which minors or intoxicated patrons are trying to buy alcohol, while the hotline provides citizens with a way to report those businesses who continue to flout the law."
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Looking for a hangover cure
US News and World Report Business, October 11, 2004
Last week in Denver, representatives from more than 320 American brewers gathered to celebrate their 1,600 beers featured at the Great American Beer Festival. The Association of Brewers, the trade group that hosts the annual event, called it the biggest selection of beers assembled under one roof anywhere.
Domestic beer sales grew in 2003 by a paltry one tenth of 1 percent, according to the Beverage Marketing Corp....America's drinking tastes are changing. Barkeeps are pouring more red wine as reports proliferate that it is good for your health to consume one or two glasses a day. Meanwhile, hard liquor (also low in carbs) is getting a fresh workout in new mixed-drink concoctions.
In this crowded and slow-growing market, one industry trend is clear: the urge to merge. Adolph Coors Co. and Canada's Molson are trying to tie the knot...
Despite new initiatives by the beer industry to hang on to its loyal customers, growing in scale may be the only way for U.S. brewers to survive in a seemingly saturated market.
Whatever ends up happening with Molson, many speculate that more mergers will follow. "If [Coors and Molson] do eventually come together, it will be ripe for takeover by Heineken or Miller," says Gatza. "This is an industry that has just started to consolidate."
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More on the Molson Coors Merger
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Wednesday, October 6, 2004
Drive for Sunday Beer Sales Gets Boost: National Distributors and PA Wholesalers Launch "Modernize Our Beer Laws" (MOBL)
PR Newswire Legislation News, October 5, 2004
A movement underway to change the law in Pennsylvania that regulates the sale of beer received a significant boost today, as a powerhouse of national and regional brewers and The Pennsylvania Wholesalers Association announced its support and launched a statewide coalition called MOBL (Modernize Our Beer Laws).
MOBL members include The Anheuser-Busch Brewing Company, Miller Brewing Company, Coors Brewing Company, Guinness, Heineken, Latrobe Brewing Company and InBev USA and The Pennsylvania Beer Wholesalers Association. As momentum grows for this initiative, it is expected that other beer industry members will join this list in support for more consumer choice and convenience.
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U.S. trade regulators approve Molson-Coors merger
CBC Canadian Broadcasting Business, October 5, 2004
Trade regulators in the United States on Tuesday cleared the way for the merger of beer makers Molson Inc. and Adolph Coors Co. The U. S. Federal Trade Commission said a 30-day waiting period for antitrust investigations has been suspended and that the merger will be allowed to proceed.
Shareholders of Molson will be voting on the merger proposal with Coors during the week of Dec. 13. If shareholders give their consent, the union will create the third-largest beer company in North America behind Anheuser-Busch and SABMiller.
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Court to review wine dispute
Oakland Tribune, CA, October 5, 2004
The Superme Court announced Monday it would hear a case revolving around the legality of shipping wine out of state directly to consumers.
The states of New York and Michigan are defending their prohibitions against the shipment of wine from out-of-state wineries directly to consumers. New York's law was upheld and Michigan's struck down by separate federal appeals courts.
The question cases is whether the laws are supported by the states' 21st Amendment authority to regulate alcohol sales or whether, to the contrary, they impose unconstitutional barriers against interstate commerce.
"It would be a great change, and it's about time," said Michael Martella, winemaker at Thomas Fogarty Winers in Portola Valley. "It's all about money, and distributors who want to control the flow of wine in their own states and get a cut. Small producers like us can get lost," he said.
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Boulder, CO, will eye changes on alcohol
Denver Post News, October 6, 2004
The drinking culture at the University of Colorado is not going to change without the help of the city, some City Council members said Tuesday.
To that end, the council voted unanimously to create a plan in hopes of changing that culture, using alcohol licensing policies, code enforcement and zoning laws to discourage binge drinking.
Councilman Gordon Riggle said after Tuesday's meeting that the city has a responsibility to help CU make a cultural change. "And there are certain areas that we have complete authority to do that," he said.
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Tuesday, October 5, 2004
A-B's flavored Bud seeks youth vote
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch, MO, October 4, 2004
Looking to hold onto young adult drinkers, Anheuser-Busch Cos. next month will roll out a flavored, caffeinated Budweiser beer. Be is infused with caffeine, guarana - a paste derived from a Brazilian fruit - and ginseng in the brewing process, the St. Louis-based brewer said Monday. The aromas of blackberry, raspberry and cherry mixed with the traditional scent of hops give the beer a slightly sweet and tart taste, the brewer said.
"We've created Be for the 21- to 27-year-old contemporary adult consumer, specifically in mind for those who are looking for that latest drink to keep up with their fast-paced lifestyle," said Pat McGauley, senior director of new products and high-end brands at A-B's domestic brewing unit.
The new beer is the latest move to combat the growing popularity of distilled spirits among 21- to 27-year-olds, a coveted demographic group.
The brewer already appeals to these young adult drinkers through its Bacardi Silver family of flavored malt beverages, which offers flavors such as raspberry and lemon.
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21-only for 25 years
Iowa City Press-Citizen, IA, October 4, 2004
When Hilary Rinnels wants to go to the bars, she comes to Iowa City...the 20-year-old Iowa State University junior cannot hit the late-night alcohol-serving venues near her campus.
Which sets up the question Iowa City councilors, police officers, business owners, students and residents are left to ponder with officials once again considering a law to ban those younger than 21 from entering bars: What kind of effect would increasing the bar entry age have on Iowa City?
"Enacting a 21-only policy to control avenues of consumption will not reduce the level of consumption ... consumption will explode in unsafe venues," according to the University of Iowa Student Government's position statement on the issue...
That's why, in addition to bar entry age restrictions, Ames officials have enacted other alcohol-related laws geared toward controlling residential consumption. For example, it is illegal to offer an unlimited amount of alcohol for free to someone who has purchased a cup or paid a cover charge, and it is unlawful for a person, other than a licensed beer permit holder on a licensed property, to host an event with more than one keg tapped at a time without a special permit.
Officials also have passed a nuisance party law prohibiting any social gathering that results in public intoxication, underage drinking, unlawful alcohol sales, littering, public urination, loud noise, fighting, property damage, or parked cars obstructing the flow of traffic.
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Griego: A nice guy with bad idea riles his neighbors
Rocky Mountain News, CO, October 4, 2004
George owns a business called Abby Food Store. It's on the corner of 32nd Avenue and Clay Street, next to a taqueria and, more to the point of this story, right across the street from North High School.
Three days after school started, he posted in his shop window his intent to seek a license to sell 3.2 beer. The possibility that George could get a license has caused much dismay in the neighborhood and at North, particularly among the security officers who groan and say: "That's just what we need."
Last week found Principal Darlene LeDoux fuming. "You want another example of how the outside world enters schools?" she tells me. "This is not going to happen next to my school. It would be disastrous."
She has seen George but hasn't met him. It's time, she decides, to make his acquaintance. She marches out the door and a few minutes later stands in front of his store. "...I would like us to be community partners. But I will let you know that I am going to fight this all the way. I don't think liquor is good for our kids or good for our community." She marches out of his store, leaving behind the somewhat stunned storekeeper, a nice guy with a bad idea.
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How to Take Action in your Community
Monday, October 4, 2004
Youth drinking stays high over decade
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, MO, October, 04 2004
Although the prevalence of underage drinking has decreased since its peak in the late 1970s, drinking by youths has stabilized over the past decade at disturbingly high levels. The findings, part of a new analysis of youth drinking trends by researchers at the National Institutes of Health, appear in the September issue of Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research.
Although the data confirm the reduction in underage drinking rates since the 1970s, they also underscore the need to redouble efforts to lower the rates, says Dr. Ting-Kai Li, director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism at the NIH. The authors have demonstrated an important means for monitoring long-term changes in alcohol use patterns.
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University of Colorado asks for halt to liquor licensing
Denver Post News, CO, October 04, 2004
A restaurateur who plans to revive the fabled Tulagi nightspot in Boulder as an eatery and bar faces a challenge from the University of Colorado's administration.
CU-Boulder chancellor Richard Byyny sent a Sept. 28 letter to members of Boulder's Beverages Licensing Authority urging them to stop the "high proliferation of liquor licenses in close proximity" to the Boulder campus.
The next liquor-license application up for review in Boulder is the one Pete Turner filed to open a new Tulagi at 1129 13th St. on University Hill. The bar, a live-music institution in Boulder for six decades, was shuttered in August 2003 because of its previous owners' tax bill.
"Data has shown that there is a direct relationship between the density of establishments selling alcohol so close to a college campus and the binge drinking and related problems among college students," Byyny wrote to the Boulder liquor-licensing board. "I urge you not to approve this or any other liquor licenses in Boulder."
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Initiative to extend alcohol sales in California in early stages
California Aggie, CA, October 1, 2004
Bar-hoppers and bartenders in California might be pulling double duty on weekends if a new extended-hours initiative passes in an upcoming primary election.
The intent of the 2006 initiative, introduced this year, is to extent the limit on alcohol sales from 2 a.m. to 4 a.m. on Friday and Saturday at on-site retailers such as bars and nightclubs. The initiative further proposes that alcohol sales are extended until 4 a.m. on all federal and state holidays.
"The extended period of alcohol sales will mean more police patrol going around to make sure drinking does not get out of control," Mayor Ruth Asmundson said. "We might have to call other jurisdictions to come help and this can get very expensive."
"My personal reaction is that prolonging drinking will only cause more problems. But if the initiative does pass, we would continue to be vigilant in protecting the city."
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Is Bush Better for Beer Drinkers?
Creators Syndicate, Terence Jeffrey, CA, September 29, 2004
American beer drinkers might be interested in learning that August A. Busch IV, Budweiser heir and John Kerry supporter, signed a full-page ad for the Democratic National Committee that ran Sept. 23rd in The New York Times.
I suspect many Bud drinkers may not have seen it.
The ad did not feature talking frogs, and the Democrats are not broadcasting a TV version during NFL games. It ran opposite the "World Briefing" on page A13 -- not prime space for the beer-drinking demographic.
Headlined "America Needs New Leadership," the ad, without expressly naming either candidate, argued that President Bush is bad for business and that John Kerry would be better.
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Industry Contributions to CA Lawmakers
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Policy Changes Could Cut Alcohol Related Deaths, Study Suggests
Join Together, October 1, 2004
Policymakers should look to the types of strategies outlined in Join Together's Ten Drug and Alcohol Policies That Save Lives to prevent the alcohol-related deaths detailed in a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), experts say.
CDC researchers estimated that about 75,000 alcohol-attributable deaths occur each year in the United States, split about evenly between chronic causes like liver disease and acute causes like accidental injuries and automobile crashes. The study also estimated that each alcohol-related death cost an average of 30 years of life, indicating that many of those who died from alcohol-related causes were relatively young.
"These results emphasize the importance of adopting effective strategies to reduce excessive drinking, including increasing alcohol excise taxes and screening for alcohol misuse in clinical settings," the authors wrote in the report, "Alcohol-Attributable Deaths and Years of Potential Life Lost, United States, 2001."
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Environmental Prevention as a Solution
Friday, October 1, 2004
Solving Ashland/Castro Valley Youth Alcohol Problems With Billboards
CommPre, CA, September 30, 2004
Local communities, including Ashland and Castro Valley share a national problem---their children drink. A lot and often. But, most of their parents are in denial about it.
Problem-solving begins with problem-identification. And a powerful campaign is getting started in two weeks in Ashland and Castro Valley, which aims to identify the problem in striking, memorable terms.
That’s when a half dozen purple and yellow billboards will appear on some of the most heavily traveled roads in the communities. Their stark message can’t be missed or misunderstood: “Don’t Kid Yourself. Ashland Youth Get Alcohol At Home”and “Don’t Kid Yourself. Castro Valley Youth Get Alcohol At Home.”
“It is very clear to us that alcohol and other drugs are just too readily available to our kids”, says Linda Pratt, CommPre Program Director, “and it is just as clear that most parents don’t know how big a role they play in making alcohol accessible to their kids.
CommPre will hold a press briefing on October 4, 2004 at Billboard 2460, located at the corner of E. 14th St. and 167th Avenue in Ashland (unincorporated Alameda County) at 11:00am to preview the campaign and to respond to any questions that the media may have.
See the press release (.pdf)
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Adults and Underage Drinking
Drinkers object to Jack Daniel's watering whiskey down
AP via San Francisco Chronicle, CA, September 29, 2004
If you've noticed that your Jack Daniel's is carrying a little less kick these days, you're probably right.
The famed "sippin' whiskey," which advertises a recipe traced back to the nation's first registered distillery, has lowered the alcohol content of its flagship brand, Old No.7 Black Label.
The whiskey now registers 80 proof, instead of 86 (or 40 percent alcohol versus 43 percent), and some drinkers feel betrayed.
The company says the switch was made because most customers prefer the less potent mix...
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Suffolk, NY, Lawmakers OK Ban On Booze Machine
1010Wins.com, NY, September 28, 2004
Suffolk County, N.Y., is poised to become the first in the country to pass a law making it illegal to sell, buy, or use "alcohol without liquid" (AWOL) machines, New York radio station 1010 reported Sept. 28.
AWOL's makers say the device is a low-calorie, low-carbohydrate way for people to get a euphoric feeling without the hangover that might result from drinking. Critics charge that AWOL will lead to increases in drunken driving, underage drinking and other alcohol abuses.
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Alcohol Ads Remain at Hughes
The Rocky Mountain Collegian, CO, October 1, 2004
Alcohol has run dry for students at Sonny Lubick Field at Hughes Stadium, but alcohol advertisements still tap the stadium's football culture.
After the university suspended alcohol sales in student seating at Hughes, pending the Feb. 1 report by the CSU Alcohol Task Force, some students believe keeping alcohol advertisements at the stadium is hypocritical.
"(The university) took away alcohol, but the signs are still there and it is kind of like saying it's OK, but we're not going to give it to you here. It's almost like they are saying, 'If you do it behind our back, we'll turn the other way,'" said Mark Rising, a freshman sociology major.
"It sends mixed signals to students that it is OK to get money from alcohol for things we want, but it is not OK for you to drink the alcohol - it just seems hypocritical, I guess," said Lena Withers, a senior political science major.
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