Alcohol News March 2004

Wednesday, March 31, 2004

Group pushes July 4 beach alcohol ban
The San Diego Union-Tribune, CA, March 15, 2004
Sail Bay residents want the city to ban alcohol on all city of San Diego beaches on the Fourth of July, but some beach communities oppose the prohibition. Rudolf Hradecky, a spokesman for the Sail Bay Association, the driving force behind the effort, said his group is asking for an all-day July Fourth ban on alcohol at the beach. Hradecky said public safety is paramount.

"It is not a family scene," he said. "Our concern is that there will be a potential riot. The situation is ripe for a riot, with people shoulder to shoulder, literally, and the drinking is phenomenal." Furthermore, Hradecky said, partygoers have left behind tons of trash, including old couches and beer cans, at Sail Bay, on the northern edge of Mission Bay, on the Fourth of July in past years.

Independence Day is the busiest day of the year, police have said. Last year, about 289,000 people visited the beaches at Pacific Beach, Mission Beach and Mission Bay. Police arrested 14 people and wrote 552 citations for alcohol-related offenses, including driving, boating or bicycling under the influence, public drunkenness and minors in possession of alcohol.

See full text of article

Tuesday, March 30, 2004

FTC Eyes Youth Appeal Of Alcohol Web Sites
Adweek.com, March 25, 2004
The Federal Trade Commission's Division of Advertising Practices plans to examine the Web sites of several alcohol marketers in the wake of a study showing that the sites attract a high percentages of minors.

Mary Engle, associate director of advertising practices at the FTC, said the process could result in recommendations to marketers on how to change their Web sites. She would not confirm which sites the FTC will investigate.

Bacardi.com, Skyy.com and the Anheuser-Busch site BudLight.com are three likely to attract the FTC's attention--according to a study by the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth at Georgetown University, those sites had the highest percentage of underage people making an in-depth visit during the second half of last year.

"The industry should remove themes, music, language and attractions that clearly appeal to underage people," said Jim Hacker, director of the Alcohol Policies Project at the Center for Science in the Public Interest.

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Proposed beer excise tax could raise additional $13.8 million in state revenue
Iowa State Daily, IA, March 30, 2004
A recent study conducted by the University of Minnesota for the Iowa Department of Health found about half of Iowans would be "willing" or "quite willing" to increase alcohol taxes if the money raised by the increase would be used to aid the prevention of underage drinking.

According to the Legislature bills, Senate File 2050 and House File 2107, which are being held in committee in both houses, the excise tax on a 31-gallon barrel of beer would double from $5.89 to $11.78. This amounts to an increase of approximately two cents per 12-ounce glass of beer.

George Belitsos, director of Ames Youth and Shelter Services said a study conducted by the National Bureau of Economic Research found a 10-cent increase in the price of alcohol would cause minors to start drinking a year later.

"It would have a positive impact," Belitsos said. "The cheaper beer is, the more people drink."

See full text of article

Monday, March 29, 2004

Study: College athletes susceptible to drinking
The Star-Ledger, March 25, 2004
College athletes are 50 percent more likely to binge drink, which is defined as five or more drinks in a row, than non-athletes. They are also more likely to have binge drinkers as friends, more likely to say parties are an important part of their lives on campus and -- despite a higher exposure to alcohol education -- more likely to ignore the warnings.

These were the findings of a study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health, one that confirmed what many athletes already know: Drinking is common among them, despite the pressure to stay in good shape to perform at a high level in their sports.

Toben F. Nelson, who conducted the Harvard study, believes athletes are more susceptible to alcohol abuse for several reasons...the messages are everywhere. One example: Beer commercials are aired during their games, a source of controversy in the NCAA.

"There is something about the culture of college athletics that really promotes heavy alcohol abuse," Nelson said. "Drinking is a highly social activity, and on many campuses, athletics are at the center of the social scene."

See full text of article
More on College Drinking

Amended beer keg law passes state Senate
Journal News, NY, March 24, 2004
The state Senate passed a bill yesterday that would amend the current beer keg law.

The new law would extend the time period for consumers to return the beer keg from 30 to 90 days, and would clearly define that forfeited keg deposits could be kept by the retailers who sold the beer.

Under the law enacted in the fall, retailers are required to attach a tag to every keg sold. That tag must include the buyer's name, the store owner's name and address, and a keg identification number.

The law was designed to make it more difficult for minors to purchase kegs.

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Friday, March 26, 2004

Alcohol opponents warn of dangers
Mesquite News, TX, March 25, 2004
Representing a political-action committee that calls itself Keep Our Kids Safe, (100 area residents) encouraged board trustees to use their public positions to defeat the alcohol sales propositions on the May 15 ballot.

"For the sake of our community and our children, what can you do to protect our children?" Allen resident Penelope Rozsa asked trustees...

Thousands of Allen residents signed a petition calling for a vote on whether to allow beer and wine sales at retail stores in the city, and whether to allow restaurants to sell alcohol without acting as private clubs. Fairview and McKinney residents will vote on the same measures...

Rozsa said alcohol sales will bring more alcohol advertising into the city, which will increase the likelihood that Allen children and teenagers will be enticed into alcohol use.

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Blodgett to host roundtable on underage drinking
Swampscott Reporter, MA, March 25, 2004
Essex District Attorney Jonathan W. Blodgett will address the county's school superintendents about the issues of underage drinking and social host liability at their roundtable at ...North Shore Community College in Danvers.

Blodgett will provide attendees with his new Social Host Liability brochure. Staff members from his office and guest speakers will focus on the effects of alcohol on young people, civil and criminal liability of social hosts, local and state police perspectives on the issues, and the preventative efforts in place.

"These issues must always be at the forefront, especially when prom and graduation seasons are on the horizon," Blodgett said in a prepared release. "Too many times we have seen these wonderful events marred by tragedies involving alcohol. Working together, we hope to help ensure that these milestones are safe and happy times for everyone."

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Thursday, March 25, 2004

Colleges should ban spring break marketing
Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, IN, March 24, 2004
This week, many Indiana students are among the 400,000 U.S. college students enjoying spring break at party destinations like Padre Island and Daytona Beach and international spots in Mexico and Jamaica, which heavily promote their legal, usually unenforced drinking age of 18.

According to researchers, during spring break males down 18 drinks a day, and women consume 10. More than half of all men and 40 percent of women drank until they became sick or unconscious.

That's why the Indiana Coalition to Reduce Underage Drinking and the Indiana Collegiate Action Network is encouraging all Indiana colleges and universities to take a stand against reckless spring break promoters, banning their marketing on campuses. Travel Web sites, TV shows like MTV's "Spring Break" and the ads all promise sun and fun fueled by cheap alcohol. The price might be cheap, but the costs are too high for anyone to pay.

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Some store clerks just don't get it
WALB, GA, March 23, 2004
More raids on stores that sell alcohol to underaged customers. This time investigators busted two dozen businesses.

When underage officers went into Dougherty County businesses to buy alcohol, many of the attempts were successful. In fact 35% percent sold alcohol illegally, that's down from 45%. "Sure we're happy about the reduction, but we're not gonna be happy until zero sales go on with this. Too many injuries and fatalities occur because of teenagers engaging in alcohol and getting behind the wheel of a car," says District Attorney Ken Hodges.

Officials with the Albany-Dougherty Underage Drinking Law Coalition say though they weren't expecting the number of violators to be so high, many of the store owners are trying to get their employees to comply with the law...As they dispose of the evidence officers vow to continue to crack down on violators until every store and every clerk gets the message.

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Wednesday, March 24, 2004

Stiff penalties for serving alcohol to minors being reiterated
KFSM, AR, March 23, 2004
FAYETTEVILLE -- The Alcohol and Beverage Control Board is reminding Fayetteville business owners about the laws applied to holding an alcohol permit, which a big emphasis was put on stopping underage drinking.

The federal government gives each state, including Arkansas, $360,000 each year to better enforce underage drinking laws. The A.B.C. reminded business owners in Fayetteville that if minors are caught drinking in their establishments, some heavy punishments can be given out as well.

A.B.C. Assistant Director Kenny Herroman tells a group of Fayetteville business owners about a sting back in 1989. "[The minors were] 17, 18, and 19 year old. Forty-eight percent of the time, alcohol vendors sold to minors. That is totally unacceptable."

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Campaign against underage drinking brings message to Knoxville
WATE, TN, March 23, 2004
KNOXVILLE-- A national campaign against underage drinking made a stop in Knoxville Tuesday. But rather than focusing on underage drinkers, it targets family and friends who provide alcohol illegally.

"We asked kids where they get their alcohol. And they said, 'We get it from home; or we get it from an older sibling, or an uncle.' Somebody buys that alcohol," said Pam Beer, spokeswoman for the Century Council, a not-for-profit organization that fights drunk driving and underage drinking. According to a report released by the Century Council, 65 percent of teens get alcohol from family and friends. Only seven percent get it because retailers don't check IDs.

"It's time for us to put the responsibility squarely where it lies, on the parents, on the adults, on the law enforcement, on the distributors...on everybody that's involved in this."

See full text of article

Tuesday, March 23, 2004

Teens and Alcohol Don’t Mix
Alcoholism.About.com, U.S., March 23, 2004
Since 1987, Alcohol Awareness Month, sponsored by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc. (NCADD) has been observed every April.

Alcohol is the number one drug of choice among the nation's youth and it can have serious, often lifelong, consequences for them, their families and their communities. The Governors' spouses; federal and state agencies; a major private foundation; national, state and local nonprofit agencies and professional associations have joined together to raise awareness of the problem and develop effective interventions.

"Underage alcohol use is a significant threat to the health and safety of our children. It is time for us to come to grips with this widespread, devastating public health problem," noted Steven A. Schroeder, M.D., President and CEO of The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

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Video targets alcohol sales to underaged
Toledo Blade, OH, March 23, 2004
Store owners who sell alcohol will have another tool available to them in an effort to curb underage drinking: a training video for employees.

The video, created as a result of Mayor Jack Ford's effort to stem the rate of teenage drinking, tells vendors what to look for in spotting underage drinkers, even if customers have fake identification.

Earl Mack, agent-in-charge of the Ohio Department of Public Safety's investigative unit in Toledo, said the video is also designed to help clerks and other store personnel spot intoxicated customers attempting to purchases more alcohol.

See full text of article

Monday, March 22, 2004

Liquor and beer industry puts caps on radio advertising
Star Ledger, NJ, March 21, 2004
This year, the face of beer may change. Well, maybe just the ears. The new Distilled Spirits Council and Beer Institute advertising code has kicked in. The new code calls for 70 percent of a radio station's listeners to be 21 or older in order to qualify for radio buys.

Listeners in the CHR, urban and alternative formats are most likely to be affected by these new regulations. According to trade publication Radio and Records, those formats attracted 73 percent of the $231 million spent of radio by the alcohol industry.

Back in December, Detroit-based Jacobs Media held an alcohol summit. Beer companies were invited, but didn't attend. The focus of the seminar was dealing with the new rules and identifying other advertisers that could replace some of the alcohol revenues stations stand to lose.

"We're working with the Radio Advertising Bureau to talk with CEOs of companies so we can start to be more aggressive in seeking out alternatives. Alcohol has been the low-hanging fruit for us, and we need to look elsewhere."

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Alcohol Advertising a Big Factor, Survey Reveals
alcoholism.about.com
Two-thirds of parents say that seeing and hearing alcohol ads make teens more likely to drink alcohol, and almost three-quarters of parents say that alcohol companies are not doing enough to limit the amount of alcohol advertising that teens see, according to a survey conducted by Peter D. Hart Research Associates and American Viewpoint for the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth at Georgetown University.

"Parents get it that alcohol companies' ads are not helping them teach their children about the risks of alcohol use," said Jim O'Hara, executive director of the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth at Georgetown University. "Parents want accountability and responsibility from the beer and liquor companies."

"The survey results are striking because they show a nearly universal view among parents that alcohol companies should be doing more to reduce teens' exposure," said Geoffrey Garin of Peter D. Hart Research Associates. "This belief is held by large majorities of every demographic subgroup" said Gary Ferguson of American Viewpoint.

See full text of article
Link to Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth

UM will not increase tuition or sell alcohol at sporting events to fix the problem, said UM President George Dennison.

In a panel discussion on Thursday, Dennison told a crowd of faculty, staff and students that he is firmly against selling alcohol at UM games. Although alcohol sales would likely be a quick and even generous revenue source, UM won't consider the notion.

We won't sell alcohol," he said. "I won't even put it on the table."

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New liquor makes debut after test-marketing in East Lansing
Associated Press, March, 18, 2004
EAST LANSING- Hard liquor lovers have patrons of East Lansing, Detroit and Ann Arbor area bars to thank for a new, 100-proof whiskey debuting this week. The drink is geared to the college-age demographic, Skyy officials said.

Cutty Black's promotion campaign included nine scantily-clad "100 Proof Girls" who mirrored the liquor's advertisements. The ads feature medieval, fantasy art-themed women.

Some East Lansing residents questioned the wisdom of marketing and introducing another 100-proof liquor in a college town that has had more than its share of alcohol-related disturbances and loud college parties. "It's a bit insulting to our community because I don't think it gives credit to our students and our community about making right decisions," said Dennis Martell, a health educator at the Olin Health Center, who also found the ads insulting.

MSU advertising professor Bruce Vanden Bergh said a problem with the fantasy art used in the ads is that it could appeal to a demographic too young to drink. The ads feature works by fantasy artist Luis Royo and depict buxom women wearing very little. "I'm going to guess that the age group they're going after liked 'Lord of the Rings' or 'Dungeons and Dragons' when they were younger," he said.

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Friday, March 19, 2004

Campaign targets adults who buy minors alcohol
St. Petersburg Times, FL, March 19, 2004
TAMPA - In the midst of spring break season, the Hillsborough chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving celebrates its 20th anniversary, and local law enforcement is teaming with a youth organization and the distributor of Anheuser-Busch to target adults who buy alcohol for minors.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, representatives from Youth in Action, MADD, and officials from Pepin Distributing Co. gathered Thursday morning at a Circle K near the University of South Florida to announce their partnership. Pepin is distributing hundreds of red signs that warn it's illegal for adults - overage college students included - to purchase alcohol for anyone under 21.

The signs will be placed on convenience store coolers, windows and front doors. The new effort is an offshoot of the Operation I.D., the 9-year-old program that educates retailers about underage drinking laws and how to spot fake IDs. More than 400 retailers in the county participate each year.

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National Alcohol Survey Mirrors Trend at Harvard
The Harvard Crimson, MA, March 17, 2004
Alcohol-related trips to Harvard University Health Services (UHS) are up 27 percent through February of this academic year, in line with a new survey released Monday by the Harvard School of Public Health (SPH) reporting that college administrators nationwide are becoming increasingly concerned with student alcohol abuse.

Of the 747 administrators from colleges and universities nationwide who responded to the questionnaire, 81 percent indicated that student alcohol consumption is a problem or major problem, compared to 68 percent in a 1999 survey.

“At many colleges alcohol problems have become part of college presidents’ agendas, moving up from the domain of part-time health educators in college health centers,” Henry Wechsler, SPH lecturer on society, human development and health and the lead author of the report wrote.

Though Harvard policy already prohibits alcohol in first-year dorms, Dean of the College Benedict H. Gross ’71 formed a Committee on Alcohol and Health at Harvard last semester to investigate alcohol abuse and develop a more defined strategy for combating drinking problems among students. Gross has said he hopes to deter drinking by increasing student social space and offering more alcohol-free events on campus.

See full text of article
More on College Drinking

Thursday, March 18, 2004

ASU wants party scene to dry up
Arizona Republic, AZ, March 17, 2004
When binge-drinking statistics jumped a shocking 10 percentage points in ASU's last alcohol use poll and the number of students ticketed for drinking offenses rose, school officials began to take a hard look at its alcohol policy. Now, with a new student affairs vice president who is an authority on student substance abuse, changes are coming.

First order of business: make all dorms "dry"; no drinking even for those 21 and older. Then get the fraternity guys out of the frat houses and into "dry" school housing. Next, get more help from Tempe officials on stopping sales to underage students and stopping heavy drinking in area bars. Then, help all students understand they risk their futures by abusing alcohol.

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Town cracks down on Fairfax Festival alcohol
Marin Independent Journal, CA, March 17, 2004
The Fairfax Town Council unanimously approved last night several measures meant to crack down on alcohol consumption at future Fairfax Festivals.

This includes moving the Ross Valley Firefighters Club beer booth away from the entrance and next to the Police Department booth, which is located near the middle of the festival.

The festival - which occurs June 5 and 6 - is the biggest weekend of the year for Fairfax and is a major fund-raising event for nonprofit groups. Two of the biggest beneficiaries are the firefighters club and the Fairfax Native Sons, which operate the beer booths.

The Native Sons beer booth will stay in the same place this year, but both groups have agreed to provide free water, to stop posting alcohol-related advertising near or in the booths, to train servers in responsible serving practices, to increase prices and, in an attempt to curb underage drinking, to serve beer in clear cups so it is more easily identifiable.

Mayor Frank Egger said he set the alcohol restrictions in motion because the beer booths were selling 30 kegs of beer during the weekend, which is "trouble in the wings." He said the restrictions won't hinder the festival but instead will make it better for everyone involved, from participants to venders to police officers.

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SLO police hoping grants will help tame alcohol issues
San Luis Obispo Tribune, CA, March 18, 2004
San Luis Obispo police are hoping for financial help to prevent underage drinking and other alcohol-related problems. The City Council on Tuesday night authorized city officials to apply for up to $100,000 in grants from the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.

The city is requesting $75,000 to $100,000 for education and training for employees and owners of licensed alcohol establishments; checking compliance with underage drinking laws at places that offer alcohol; and conducting sobriety checkpoints and patrols to direct police efforts at underage parties.

Funds from the Office of Traffic Safety would go toward enforcing drinking laws and nonprofit community groups that work with youth to stop underage drinking.

See full text of article

Wednesday, March 17, 2004

Ordinance monitors keg buyers in Powell
Billings Gazette, MT, March 17, 2004
POWELL - Let the keg buyer beware: The City of Powell will be watching to make sure the keg's alcoholic contents will only go to people aged 21 or older.

"The objective is to be able to track that thing and know where it's going to go," Powell City Administrator Jim Wysocki said of the kegs.

The vigilance will discourage underage drinking, said Astrid Northrup, of the Powell Coalition to Prevent Substance Abuse, who spoke in support of the measure Monday.

"Most underage drinking is done from keg beer," Northrup said. "This ordinance targets the adults who wish to buy kegs for underage drinkers. It's not a panacea. It doesn't take care of the whole problem, but it's one more tool in the toolbox and it gives law enforcement a paper trail to follow."

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Campaign warns adults not to give minors alcohol
Indianapolis Star and News, IN, March 16, 2004
The Youth Division of the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute is kicking off its "Serve Kids, Serve Time" campaign, which attacks underage drinking by warning those who provide alcohol to minors. The campaign, which begins this week, comes as high schools finalize plans for proms and as colleges recess for spring break. It will continue into April, which is National Alcohol Awareness Month.

The campaign includes outdoor billboards, news boxes, print ads and a window decal that will be offered to all alcohol retailers for placement in their stores beginning March 22.

See full text of article

New Alcohol Policy Database Aids Researchers, Advocates
Join Together, March 16, 2004
Want to know if other states are raising alcohol taxes, limiting advertising, or taking other legislative action to prevent alcohol-related problems? Check out the new Alcohol Policy Information System (APIS), a national database on state and federal alcohol policy that's a resource for researchers, advocates, government officials, and lawmakers themselves.

The other major component of APIS is a database of all alcohol-related bills and regulations passed by the states. The database currently includes the full text of all laws passed in 2002, and most of the state laws passed in 2003 have now been archived, as well.

Link to APIS

Tuesday, March 16, 2004

Diageo violates marketing code with Guinness ads
TV spots make St. Patrick’s look like Christmas with a keg
The Marin Institute, March 16, 2004
Diageo is at it again with their current Guinness Beer campaign telling people to "Treat St. Patrick's Day Like a Real Holiday,” which apparently starts with binge drinking in the morning if you believe one TV ad. The spot unambiguously evokes a child's delight on Christmas morning: it shows three young men waking up on St. Patrick's Day and racing downstairs to find a decorated keg surrounded by a pile of gifts--six packs and cases of Guinness.

The ads are the latest in a series of campaigns from Diageo that violate its own marketing code, which states that they will “…depict only moderate and responsible drinking” and “…not use any image (or) symbol…that appeals to those under the legal purchase age.”

The Marin Institute is urging people to send Diageo another “Citation for Hit-and-Run Advertising,” which now focuses on these Guinness violations.

See the ad and take action

Brewing interest in teens?
Christian Science Monitor, USA, March 15, 2004
Last week, the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth (CAMY) at Georgetown University in Washington released a study of 74 such (Web) sites. It found that minors comprise up to 60 percent of visitors to these sites, and that there were nearly 700,000 visits by minors in the last half of 2003.

The study comes on the heels of two lawsuits seeking class-action status filed against alcohol companies, including Anheuser-Busch and Miller Brewing Co., the industry's largest domestic brewers. Both suits claim the companies target youths with flavored malt beverages (aka "alcopops") that resemble sodas, as well as with advertisements in markets where minors comprise a significant percentage of the audience.

This stance infuriates Lynne and Reed Goodwin, whose college-age daughter, Casey, was killed by a teenage drunk driver in California last March, prompting the couple to file suit against Anheuser-Busch and Miller Brewing for directly targeting minors.

"We know that young people are highly susceptible and impressionable," says Mrs. Goodwin..."Alcopops? They're just like the tobacco industry's Camel Joe. They're creating gateway behaviors. The first step to get someone to drink is making them comfortable with the concept."

See full text of article

Monday, March 15, 2004

Alcohol permit stalls project
Monterey Herald, CA, March 14, 2004
A year after Monterey approved the Cypress Center over some neighborhood objections, residents are fighting an alcohol license for a gas station that would anchor the controversial strip mall.

The Alcoholic Beverage Control agency, meanwhile, approved an alcohol license for the Chevron. With a finite number of such permits available, Chevron bought a license on the open market that previously belonged to Pezzini Farm Fresh Produce in Carmel.

The neighborhood association appealed. After Thursday's hearing, the agency has 30 days to make a decision." We're looking at the big issue of the effect of alcohol sales on our quality of life," Ruccello said. "Do we have to have alcohol at every corner gas station in the city of Monterey?"

See full text of article

Texans stand together against underage drinking
Monitor, TX, March 13,2004
PHARR - A Texas coalition working to curb underage drinking took its lobbying effort to Pharr City Hall on Friday to talk with state lawmakers.

Meanwhile, Spring Break festivities geared up again about an hour away on South Padre Island, where underage alcohol consumption explodes for these two weeks.

But if the members of Texans Standing Tall had their way, the beer those youth buy would be more expensive. The keg they tap to dispense it would be registered with the state to hold vendors accountable and the teens would see fewer alcohol ads in the weeks gearing up to their break.

Standing Stall is advocating for alcohol-advertisement-free zones that would limit teens exposure to those companies marketing efforts.

"It is no wonder so many of my classmates drink, We see (ads) in the TV shows we watch, the radio we listen to and the magazines we read," said Darlene Ortega, an El Paso high school student. "In the places we are, alcohol advertisements are too."

See full text of article

Oklahoma legislation seeks to ban beer specials
U-Wire, March 12, 2004
NORMAN -- Promotional beer specials may become a thing of the past if a bill now in the Oklahoma Legislature is passed into law.

The proposed change in law could leave a bitter aftertaste for some bar owners and thirsty, yet thrifty, college students.

The bill, as written, would disallow any bar or restaurant from selling beer at less than the regular price offered during the same day of any given calendar week. It would also prohibit selling an unlimited number of beers for a given price, such as an admission or cover charge.

Lawmakers contend these promotions draw 18 to 21-year-old customers who hope to slip in for a cheap chugging contest.

See full text of article

Beer sale by hockey group stirs debate
Stevens Point Journal, WI, March 13, 2004
A youth hockey group that wants to get a beer license to raise money at its ice arena has local heath professionals worried that it sends the wrong message about alcohol use in the community.

Opponents of the license say the area doesn't need any more places where people can get alcohol, and that selling beer at traditionally adult-attended events sets a bad example for children. "The more venues we have, the more prevalent drinking becomes, the more visible it becomes. It's easier for people to tolerate regular and frequent use," said Anne Hoffmann, who directs the Student Health Promotion office at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. "I think we confuse our youth. We tell them not to drink, but we don't even allow them to recreate and get away from it."

See full text of article

Friday, March 12, 2004

College President signs pact for Univ. Louisiana (Lafayette)
The Lafayette Daily Advertiser, March 12, 2004
Signing The College Commitment was an easy call for UL Lafayette, its president said. “We do support the no-alcohol policy in advertising for our sport shows,” President Ray Authement said. “We have not had alcohol advertising nor do we plan to.

The university is the only Division I institution in Louisiana that has signed the charter agreement calling for a ban on advertising supporting alcohol sales on televised programs. The agreement applies to all levels of college sports, from local games to championship contests and national football bowl games.

“We are supporting this,” Authement said, “because we are in support of promoting alcohol-free sports telecasts of athletic programs.”

See full text of article

PACE study: Serious alcohol-related crime continues to rise
News@UW-Madison, WI, March 10, 2004
A voluntary effort by downtown Madison bars to limit drink specials on Friday and Saturday nights has been inconclusive, and serious alcohol-related crime continues to rise, according to a new analysis of downtown police calls. The findings come from a study conducted by UW-Madison's PACE Coalition. The group conducted the study as part of an evaluation of a 2002 Tavern League voluntary limit on drink specials after 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights.

Despite inconclusive results from the voluntary limits, PACE continues to advocate limits on drink specials. National studies show that cheap alcohol fuels over-consumption. Aaron Brower, the project's principal investigator says that over-consumption is directly linked to crimes such as vandalism, fights and sexual assault.

In the future, PACE will continue to push for policy changes that are likely to have a significant impact, including examination of alcohol pricing and advertising, viable alternatives to drinking, safe house parties and other "best practices" recently recommended to Madison's Alcohol License Review Committee.

See full text of article

Festivals to remain free from alcohol
The Daily Iowan, IA, March 10, 2004
Iowa City's two largest summer festivals will not sell alcohol on downtown streets despite an expanded city ordinance that might allow them to legally do so, the events' coordinators said Wednesday.

Worried about increased insurance rates and greater liability, the Iowa City Jazz Festival and Iowa Arts Festival directors said they will not risk jeopardizing their events' futures despite the potential for large profits. Both the Jazz Festival, which will host 12 bands in July, and the Art Festival's gala with more than 100 artists, said in interviews they had considered the idea.

Although festival officials said they plan to keep the street fairs dry this summer, they may reconsider in future years. Jim Clayton, a co-coordinator of the Stepping Up Project, said he is concerned that the council's rush to add beer to the family environment will change the event's culture." We've spent seven years going in one direction - limiting access and availability," he said, saying beer tents may cause competitive pricing wars and lower prices. "Do we have to constantly show our children the only time to have fun is with a drink?"

See full text of article

Thursday, March 11, 2004

Beer industry too closely tied to college athletics
The Desert Sun, CA, March 11, 2004
For millions of sports fans, "March Madness" means the long-awaited start of the NCAA college basketball tournament. For the alcohol industry, the games mean a chance to spend millions advertising to a national TV audience. That marketing strategy uses the nation’s top collegiate athletes to sell beer, even though many of those athletes are underage and it’s illegal for them to drink it.

"We don’t see how colleges teaming with beer advertisers is in the best interests of students," said George Hacker, director of the Alcohol Policies Project for the Center for Science in the Public Interest. The center is asking 1,200 colleges and universities to sign what it calls The College Commitment, a pledge to eliminate alcohol-related television ads during sports events.

The industry spent about $58 million in 2002 on commercials televised during college sports programs, according to The Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth at Georgetown University in Washington.

See full text of article

Buying Alcohol Online
KXAN, TX, March 10, 2004
In the last five years, there's been an explosion in online alcohol vendors who promise to deliver anything from beer to hard liquor, and they don't even check your age.

The reality is your kids could be getting it delivered to your own home thanks to the Internet. "Kids are pretty savvy. Teens are very savvy, and this is an easy way to get alcohol so why wouldn't they try it," Alan Gray with the Texas Safety Network said. Just a few simple words in a search engine and an endless supply of vendors pop-up.

"All it says is you must be 21 years of age or older to purchase alcohol products from Internet wine and spirits. Please enter your last birthday, and that's it. that's the only safeguard which is actually no safeguard at all," Alan Gray said. It's something that's on the radar of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission.

See full text of article

TAKE ACTION on underage drinking
MADD, March 11, 2004
Spring break is just around the corner - a time when many youth will drink while many adults turn a blind eye on what has become a frightening rite of passage...

The National Academy of Sciences...report...recommends science-based, common sense solutions that work to reduce underage drinking, including:
· Creating a national media campaign focused on encouraging adults not to provide alcohol to youths
· Strengthening the alcohol advertising codes that allow youths to see more than 2,000 alcohol ads per year
· Enacting minimum drinking age laws that prohibit purchase, attempted purchase, and consumption of alcohol by youth
· Focusing the government and communities on underage drinking.

Urge your federal legislators to hold hearings on the National Academy of Sciences report on underage drinking...

See full text of article

Wednesday, March 10, 2004

Booze is easy buy for teens
Henderson Daily Dispatch, NC, March 10, 2004
Some convenience stores are a little too convenient for underage drinkers who want to buy alcoholic beverages. That's what the Oxford Police Department found out when it did an unofficial sting for the youth issues group of the Live Well Granville Committee.

Anne Williams, the chairwoman of that group, came to the Oxford Board of Commissioners on Tuesday night to tell of its goals of reducing teenage drinking, getting a better attitude from parents about the problem, and cutting down the sale of alcohol to minors by retailers.

And underage drinkers must make a contribution to that profit because Williams reported surveys that show a third of teens drink alcohol, and her group has a goal to cut that figure to 24 percent.

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The entire community should join the fight against underage drinking
The Tallahassee Democrat, FL, March 10, 2004
On behalf of the Partnership for Alcohol Responsibility (PAR), I wish to express our...support of the Leon County Multi-Agency DUI Strike Force.The PAR is a coalition of community and university representatives engaged in reducing the consequences of high-risk and underage drinking in Tallahassee.

In order to change the accepted norms and behaviors of underage drinking, the cultural context within which young people make decisions about alcohol use must be changed so they can make healthier, safer and responsible choices. We invite the community to join in this community coalition to prevent underage drinking, promote responsible use of alcohol, support consistent law enforcement, limit alcohol access for young people, and encourage healthy and responsible behaviors both on and off campus.

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Hickam dorms may ban alcohol
Honolulu Star-Bulletin, HI, March 10, 2004
The Pacific Air Forces leader suggests a "dry dorm policy" may help reduce rapes.

Hickam Air Force Base officials may ban alcohol from enlisted airmen's barracks after a three-year study showed that drinking was a factor in about 60 percent of 92 rape cases involving Air Force personnel in the Pacific region.

"We found that the single-most influential factor in PACAF sexual assault cases was alcohol," said Col. Steve Lepper, staff judge advocate and chairman of a team to review and assess the 92 rape allegations.

"Whether it caused male suspects to do things they normally wouldn't do or prevented female victims from responding or resisting the way they would to protect themselves, on both sides it proved to be a significant factor."

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Booze, football can mix: Tailgating panel votes 8-7 in favor
In-Forum, ND, March 10, 2004
Tailgating with alcohol at North Dakota State University football games appears to be headed closer to reality. The committee meets today for the final time to recommend to NDSU President Joseph Chapman if alcohol should be allowed. Existing NDSU policy and city law bans booze from the Fargodome parking lot.

The February 25 vote was split largely between members: NDSU’s athletic department and sports boosters supported allowing alcohol at games while NDSU’s student affairs staff and a Fargo police representative opposed it.

The NDSU committee has met twice a month since October, studying everything from how a decision to allow alcohol would affect underage drinking to how it would impact police coverage and security costs, Taylor said. They also looked at how 40 other universities are handling tailgating, he said.

Members hoped to survey 500 students on the issue, but 140 responded. According to the meeting minutes, two things were evident in the survey: “There is an overwhelming desire for students to consume alcohol" and “There is already a concern of underage drinking and overconsumption on campus.”

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Tuesday, March 9, 2004

Study: Alcohol Web sites attracting kids
Nolo, LA, March 9, 2004
The study by the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth at Georgetown University estimated that alcohol company Web sites received nearly 700,000 visits by underage people from July through December. Many played video games and downloaded music, e-mail gadgets and icons - all the while immersed in the marketing of beer and liquor, center director Jim O'Hara said.

"These alcohol Web sites are a virtual cyber playground with no adult supervision," O'Hara said. "If a liquor store were this ineffective in policing underage visits, the community would be up in arms."

The study showed that about 13 percent of all visitors to 55 alcohol company Web sites were under the legal drinking age of 21. The most popular sites among young people involve distilled spirits, beer and so-called "malternatives," generally sweet-tasting alcohol products.  The sites themselves generally require age verification, though there is no way to verify the truthfulness of the user.

"There are a lot of features that appear to be in conflict with the industry's own marketing and advertising codes, where they shouldn't be using toys and games," O'Hara said.

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Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth

Eliminate Alcohol Sales to Youth
The Daily Herald, UT, March 8, 2004
Lindon's City Council took a step Feb. 17 to make it more difficult for Utah County youth to buy alcohol, and moved to support the Eliminate Alcohol Sales to Youth, or EASY, program. Richard Nance, director of Utah County Health Department of Division of Substance Abuse and Jared Sommers, a BYU masters of public administration candidate, presented the program and asked for the city's support and for the city to adopt a future ordinance.

Councilwoman Lindsey Bayless moved to support the program and adopt an ordinance when crafted. The motion carried unanimously.

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Monday, March 8, 2004

Officials praise new alcohol ordinance
New Haven Register, CT, March 8, 2004
Selectmen last week approved a new town ordinance that targets the hosts of parties where underage youths are served alcohol.

State Reps. Greene said Seymour should be praised for its efforts because leaders realize that holding social events plays a role in the problem of underage drinking."Every step must be taken to reduce the availability of alcohol to minors and to penalize those who enable it to take place,’’ said Greene.

The new ordinance says that no one will host an event or gathering at which the host knowingly allows alcohol to be consumed by or dispensed to any minor.

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Hanover Police to step up 'high-risk' patrols
Dartmouth, NH, March 5, 2004
The Hanover Police Department will soon ratchet up its patrols of areas deemed high-risk for underage drinking, thanks to a $14,000 state grant to pay current officers to work overtime. Hanover Police will use the grant to fund both uniform and undercover patrols of zones known for high alcohol abuse, including Stinson's liquor store...

Recently, officers have stood behind the clerk at Stinson's helping to check IDs and arresting individuals attempting to purchase alcohol with fake IDs, according to Stinson's owner Jack Stinson.

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Neighbors focus attention on alcohol sales near schools
News 8 Austin, TX, March 8, 2004
When residents of a South Austin neighborhood challenged a convenience store’s plans to sell beer and wine near a school, they proved that by working together people can affect change. They didn’t prevent the store from selling alcohol, but their efforts could make it easier to stop future alcohol sales by other stores in similar situations.

On weekday afternoons dozens of students walking home from Fulmore Middle School walk right by a store called Everytime Food Mart. When the owners of the store asked the city for permission to sell alcohol, neighbors got worried.

The neighborhood association’s efforts attracted the attention of Texans Standing Tall, a statewide coalition that works to prevent underage drinking. "This neighborhood brought an awareness of the problem of marketing and access [to alcohol] to underage youth to the greater community," Steve Ross of Texans Standing Tall said.

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Friday, March 5, 2004

Focus on underage drinking
Huntington Herald, CT, March 3, 2004
In the next year-and-a-half, the city will participate in Enforcing Underage Drinking Laws Program (EUDLP) - a federally funded, multi-town program that supports and studies the efforts of states and municipalities to prohibit the sale of alcohol to minors and the purchase and consumption of alcohol by minors.

The strategic plan will approach underage drinking from several angles, including law enforcement, enacting new policy related to underage drinking, improving current underage drinking policy and conducting one or two enforcement programs that focus on drunken driving violations committed by underage youth.

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2 a.m. last call splits Tucsonans
Arizona Daily Star, March 5, 2004
Longer liquor hours - what are costs? Giving Arizona drinkers an extra hour - until 2 a.m. - to buy alcohol could bring more money into the state, but some say the cost would be too high.

But a South Side neighborhood group, Tucson Democratic legislators and Mothers Against Drunk Driving of Pima County fear it would send a bad message to young people and increase drunken-driving deaths. Local resort owners, nightclub-goers and managers have mixed viewpoints.

"That this is going to be economic development is ludicrous," Garcia said. "In my mind, the issue is for the bars to be able to sell more liquor. When you see Fourth Avenue promoting its crawl nights and you see young kids getting plastered, getting arrested, we're sending a double message here."

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Thursday, March 4, 2004

Beer-tasting bill quickly runs dry
Palm Beach Post, FL, Thursday, March 4, 2004
The mothers have spoken and state Rep. Adam Hasner has decided not to ask the legislature to approve his bill that would have allowed free beer-tastings at grocery, liquor and convenience stores around the state.

"I think it's just asking for trouble," said Deborah Beck, president of the Palm Beach County chapter of MADD. "It's well known that beer is a gateway drink for kids. It would be real tough to keep those tastings in the hands of people 21 and over."

...Pat Neal, spokeswoman for Bacardi USA, said Diageo, producer of Smirnoff Ice and 13 other beer alternatives, was the driving force behind the measure, Hasner declined to say who contacted him to sponsor the bill. He attributed it to his well-known interest in laws that prohibit the sale of liquor by mail or over the Internet.

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Internet wine sale ban protects youth
Detroit News, MI, March 4, 2004
The members of the Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals support the attorney general’s petition to appeal the circuit court decision with the U.S. Supreme Court. Michigan needs to put our children’s safety and welfare ahead of a desire to please wine collectors. This is not about wine; all forms of alcohol are at stake.

Three out of 10 teenagers already participate in binge drinking. A National Academy of Sciences report also confirms that 10 percent of teenagers purchase alcohol over the Internet or through home delivery, and the growing use of the Internet only will increase that percentage. If the circuit court decision is not overturned, we are turning our backs on this already sizeable problem and allowing it to grow more.

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CHAP Receives Above And Beyond Award
Sigourney News Review, IA, March 3, 2004
Members of the CHAP Adolescent Alcohol Prevention Working Group have received the Above and Beyond award from the Governor's Office. The award ceremony was held on Thursday, February 26 in Des Moines.

After the CHAP Adolescent Alcohol Prevention Working Group's formation approximately a year ago, the group's initial focus was to reduce the adult purchase of beer kegs for youth consumption by working toward beer keg registration. The group successfully passed a county keg registration ordinance December 1, 2003, which went into effect January 7 of this year.

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Wednesday, March 3, 2004

Council to consider beer tents
Iowa City Press-Citizen, IA, March 2, 2004
During its informal meeting Monday night, a City Council majority agreed that a proposed law permitting non-profit organizations like Riverside Theatre to sell alcohol in a city park should be revised to include public streets and right-of-ways as well.

The ordinance will require any entity interested in selling alcohol to indemnify the city for injuries arising from the sale of alcohol and to provide both dram shop and premises insurance. It also limits alcohol sales to a confined area where only those attending the event can make a purchase.

Jim Clayton, co-director of the Stepping Up Project, a community-led coalition against underage and binge drinking, said that despite those efforts to reduce possible problems, he doesn't think expanding the law to include city streets is wise. "In my opinion, this sends the wrong message to the community," he said.

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Tuesday, March 2, 2004

Defense of alcohol law will save lives
Detroit News, MI, March 2, 2004
Recently, The Detroit News ran an editorial on the attorney general’s appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court regarding Michigan’s alcohol regulation laws (“Michigan Wasting Effort Defending Outdated Wine Law,” Feb. 5). It missed the boat in terms of the larger issue. Enforcement of alcohol laws is the key, not discrimination against wine collectors or giving preferential treatment to Michigan wineries.

Michigan established a three-tier alcohol distribution system for a reason - to register, review and audit companies to make sure they are following the law.

...when you remove barriers, you put youth at risk - especially through anonymous alcohol sales via online and toll-free numbers. The attorney general’s office previously documented numerous cases in which Michigan minors purchased alcohol online, with no questions asked.

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Supporters say the bill would help generate more business for hotels and restaurants and could keep drunks off the road while movie-goers and others return home around 1 a.m. Opponents say longer drinking hours will help increase drunken driving.

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What's fair, Sheriff Michael Sheahan said, is ensuring safer roads and neighborhoods by closing most bars by 2 a.m.

"When the 2 o'clocks close, it seems people will drive a great distance to these 4 a.m. bars, and that's an invitation to DUIs," Sheahan said. "We get more calls for batteries, stabbings, assaults and even shootings. We've had accidents and DUI offenders where we know where they came from."

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66,207,896 Bottles of Beer on the Wall
Business 2.0, February 25, 2004
Every time a six-pack moves off the shelf, Anheuser-Busch's top-secret nationwide data network knows.

This data, crossed with U.S. Census figures on the ethnic and economic makeup of neighborhoods, also helps Anheuser tailor marketing campaigns with a local precision only dreamed of a few years ago.

"They're drilling down to the level of the individual store," Joe Thompson, president of Independent Beverage Group says. "They can pinpoint if customers are gay, Latino, 30-year-old, college-educated conservatives."

Anheuser's most sought-after demographics? Twenty-somethings and Latinos. Not only are both more likely to drink beer than the overall population, but these groups are also projected to grow by more than 3 percent a year through 2010, according to Census Bureau estimates.

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Monday, March 1, 2004

Parents target of teenage drinking message
Stuart News, FL, February 28, 2004
To cut down on underage drinking in Martin County, local officials, education advocates, and concerned residents have teamed up to raise awareness of alcohol's dangers and consequences.

But the campaign isn't targeting teens. It's aiming for their parents.

At a news conference Friday, the group announced plans for the "Parents Who Host Lose the Most" campaign, which urges parents not to "be a party to teenage drinking."
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Low carb = high sales
Marin IJ, March 1, 2004
...Low-carb beers are also catching on.

Zee Damani, a clerk at Colonial Liquors at 1015 Tamalpais Ave. in San Rafael, said sales of Michelob Ultra, which has only 2.5 carb grams per serving, are brisk.

"We just got another one, Green Light, made by Rolling Rock - it has 2.6 carb grams (per serving)," Damani said. "We're selling those pretty good, too."
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Bar hours might last a little longer
Kentucky Kernel, KY, March 1, 2004
The Urban County Council wants to know what you think about the possibility of a later last call.

The council's services committee will hold a public meeting Tuesday to gather citizen input about extending bar hours in Lexington.

But the council doesn't have a concrete proposal yet about how late it wants to extend alcohol sales --whether it's for an additional 30 minutes or three hours.
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The Cocktail is back
Courier-Journal, KY, March 1, 2004
Beginning in the 1990s, and with the help of a growing number of flavored rums and vodkas, Americans began to drift away from good old blue-collar beer toward more spirited drinks with more complicated components. Pop culture picked up on the trend and before you could say "1940s retro" the cocktail had become a symbol of sophistication.

"It's almost like the old image of Hollywood," said Tim Laird, trade marketing manager for Brown-Forman Corp. For the last year or so, Laird has been making media calls to radio stations and TV shows, suggesting drink recipes and boosting the company's brands.

"The hot drink is anything in a martini glass," he said.
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