Alcohol News May 2004
Friday, May 28, 2004
North Beach (SF) screeching
San Francisco Examiner, CA, May 27, 2004
Organizers of the North Beach Festival are not feeling so festive these days.
Under attack from police, restaurateurs and residents, the festival has been stripped of one of its beer gardens and is facing accusations that it has lost touch with the neighborhood and exaggerated its charitable contributions.
In total, 53 neighborhood businesses have signed on to a petition asking event organizers, led by the North Beach Chamber of Commerce, to cut back its alcohol sales, give 25 percent of festival proceeds to a local nonprofit and disclose detailed financial statements.
The petition suggests the festival, scheduled this year for June 19-20, has been marred by "over-intensity and saturation of alcohol" and that the eight-block celebration is no longer reflective of the small, quirky Italian-American neighborhood.
"I think a lot of people in the neighborhood would like to see it de-accelerate, and not be as much about corporate sponsors and beer gardens and drinking," said City Lights Books co-owner Nancy Peters.
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More on changing the alcohol environment at public festivals
Georgia Tech, City of Atlanta Announce Alcohol Server Training Program
AScribe Newswire, May 27, 2004
Atlanta bar, restaurant and nightclub owners have a new tool to help employees sell alcohol responsibly. Georgia Tech is offering a free online training program for managers and servers of alcohol in Atlanta to help them reduce underage drinking and sales to intoxicated patrons before they get behind the wheel. The program was announced by Georgia Tech and Atlanta City Councilmember H. Lamar Willis at a press conference yesterday at City Hall.
The first of its kind in Georgia, the Responsible Alcohol Sales and Server (RASS) training program is being run by Tech's GT SMART program, a campus-community coalition dedicated to reducing high-risk drinking. The program was developed at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Last year, two fatal shootings in an Atlanta's entertainment district prompted the city to pass legislation requiring bars to close at 3 a.m., one hour earlier. Currently, neither the state, nor the city require servers to pass an alcohol training course.
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Elgin, IL council OKs ethnic drinks for fests
Courier News, IL, May 28, 2004
If Elgin, IL, turns into Margaritaville, there won't be a woman to blame - just a group of five city officials.
The drink glorified by singer Jimmy Buffett will be included in this year's Fiesta Salsa activities thanks to a special provision allowing ethnic beverages to be served at local bars and festivals. The city council approved the provision in a 5-1 vote Wednesday night, with Councilman Tom Sandor opposing it.
"I think it just sends out the wrong message that alcohol is an integral part of these events," he said.
The vote established a new liquor license classification that will allow special events to sell one ethnic beverage along with beer and wine. A similar allowance will be made for ethnic restaurants. Sandor voted in favor of that measure.
Sandor and Councilwoman Brenda Rodgers, who later voted for the measure, said they were concerned because of the greater alcohol content in margaritas compared with beer and wine.
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More on battling the promotion of "ethnic" alcohol products
Thursday, May 27, 2004
Alcohol Ads Outnumber Responsibility Ads 226 to 1
CAMY, May 26, 2004
Washington, DC - Alcohol industry "responsibility" advertising on television declined substantially in 2002 from 2001, while alcohol product advertising increased significantly over the same period, according to a new study by the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth (CAMY) at Georgetown University.
"Responsibility" ads have as their primary focus a clear, unambiguous message warning against driving after drinking, encouraging use of a designated driver, advising viewers to drink responsibly, or informing them about the legal drinking age of 21.
In 2002, the number of "responsibility" ads dropped by 46% from 2001 levels, while the number of alcohol commercials increased by 39%. Industry spending on responsibility advertising also fell dramatically—down 57% from 2001.
"This minimal amount of responsibility advertising does little to reinforce the messages of parents and teachers who are trying to prevent underage drinking. Our children need to receive a more balanced message about alcohol," said Jim O'Hara, CAMY executive director.
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More on Alcohol Advertising and Youth
Liquor License Poses Roadblock for Longs
Berkeley Daily Planet, CA, May 25, 2004
For a city whose downtown recently has been characterized more by empty storefronts than thriving shops, Longs Drugs offers Berkeley an enticing opportunity.
Aside from its standard inventory of pain relievers, packaged food and beauty supplies, the national chain estimates it would provide $100,000 in sales tax revenue in downtown Berkeley...
But Berkeley doesn’t want everything Longs has to offer. Unlike most chain drug stores, Longs sells beer and wine, and company executives have insisted the proposed store at 2300 Shattuck Ave. at the corner of Bancroft Way-700 feet from Berkeley High School-not be an exception.
For Ed Kikumoto, a community organizer for the Oakland-based Alcohol Policy Network, the only figure that matters is the 700 feet the store would sit from the high school.
Despite Longs’ assurances of technological surveillance, Kikumoto argued that chain stores, in general, pose a bigger risk than convenience stores like the E-Z Stop Deli one block away that sells liquor in addition to beer and wine. “With a small store you can hold the owner accountable, but bigger stores have difficulty controlling their clerks,” he said. There have been several documented instances, Kikumoto added, in which clerks in a chain store have sold alcoholic beverages to their friends.
But according to the results of a recent Berkeley and UC Police sting operation, shopkeepers aren’t putting up a lot of resistance to teenagers thirsty for alcohol. A March sweep found that 14 of 26 targeted stores were willing to sell to minors-five times the average violation rate.
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More on Calif. Liquor Licenses
More on Alcohol Outlet Density Affecting Youth
Wednesday, May 26, 2004
Movie Drinking Influences Teens
KRON, CA, May 26, 2004
Watching too many movies that show people drinking may increase the odds that junior high schools students will experiment with alcohol, say Dartmouth Medical School researchers.
They found that junior high school students in New Hampshire and Vermont who viewed numerous movie scenes featuring alcohol use were more than three times as likely to try alcohol than peers who saw few such scenes, the Associated Press reports.
The study is the first to focus on the effect that drinking in movies has on teens. It was presented at a symposium on substance abuse. Previous research examining the effects of alcohol advertising on teens has produced conflicting findings.
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More on Alcohol Advertising and Youth
All-nighters are alcohol free
AZ Central.com, AZ, May, 24, 2004
Dubbed Project Graduation and held at high school across the Scottsdale Unified School District, the parties have become the "in" place to be on graduation night. Parties begin after graduation and end around 4, 5 or 6 a.m., depending upon the school. Some parties are free while others charge admission, but students who are unable to pay aren't turned away.
Most Project Graduation parties in Arizona got their start in the past 15 years. The local parties are part of a national trend with the goal of providing a safe, supervised place where students can gather to celebrate.
Attractions include all-you-can-eat food and prizes, ranging from digital cameras to dorm-room refrigerators. Hypnotists and caricature artists are popular draws at some parties. Donations from local businesses range from free carwash coupons to a day at the spa. Parents are the keys to the success.
"Since 1991, when Arcadia started to have private parties, there have been no drug- or alcohol-related accidents on graduation night," said Ames McGarey, mother of Arcadia senior Christie McGarey and one of the party organizers.
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Tuesday, May 25, 2004
In Its Long War With Brewers, Liquor Industry Gets Aggressive
The Wall Street Journal, May 24, 2004
After decades of losing out to beer, the U.S. liquor industry is fighting back. The main reason: In Diageo, it finally has a player strong enough to go head-to-head against longtime beer titan Anheuser-Busch Cos. Diageo, which snapped up most of Seagram Co. three years ago, now controls about 27% of the U.S. liquor market. That huge stake has given the company the marketing muscle and political clout to begin changing the laws and competitive dynamics that have held liquor back since the end of Prohibition.
Over the decades, beer companies have flooded the airwaves with commercials and plied Congress and statehouses with lobbyists. Producers of hard liquor have played a less-aggressive game. They feared that pushing their product too hard would spur a backlash in a country where liquor has had a bad image.
Diageo now is launching an unapologetic battle to bring liquor back, and has won a number of big victories along the way. It has helped persuade nine states -- including Massachusetts, New York and Oregon -- to allow some form of liquor sales on Sundays, raising the total number of such states to 30. It now has a presence in every state capital, where beer lobbyists have long outnumbered their liquor rivals.
Diageo has been less successful in its efforts to get around the longstanding unofficial ban on advertising liquor on national television. Two years ago, NBC canceled a sponsorship deal with the liquor maker, citing pressure from advocacy groups.
The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (the industry's lobbying group) works especially hard to get positive stories about liquor in state-capital newspapers. For example, it got coverage in the Harrisburg (Pa.) Patriot-News about its collaboration with Mount Vernon to reconstruct George Washington's distillery at a cost of $1.5 million.
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Proposal might let stores raise liquor prices
Michigan State News, MI, May 24, 2004
A proposed law allowing higher retail liquor prices may give your alcohol budget a sobering buzz.
The bill, if passed through the state Senate and subsequently approved by Gov. Jennifer Granholm, would allow liquor retailers to raise their prices above the state-mandated minimums, though stores couldn't sell below that level.
The move comes at a time when Michigan liquor sales are peaking, especially among younger drinkers who prefer hot-selling flavored liquors like raspberry, orange, vanilla and lemon vodkas, said Rich McCarius.
In fact, the number of varieties of distilled spirits has spiked to about 4,500 this year from about 1,700 in 1997.
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Monday, May 24, 2004
Fair board can't cruise on decision
Chillicothe Gazette, OH, May 23, 2004
It's not like people didn't know what the Cruisefest Nationals were all about. The reputation of the event goes everywhere it goes and preceded its arrival at the Ross County Fairgrounds in 2003.
More than a year ago, the Gazette did a story on the checkered past of the car show. In it, a Columbus-area woman complained about the drinking and debauchery that went along with the "tricked out" vehicles and thumping stereos.
One portion of the event's Web site features photos of scantily clad and topless women, and Ross County Fair Board President Rick Ginther admits the reason why the event's contract must be renewed annually is so they can "pull the plug" if it gets out of hand.
But with more than 50 arrests for underage drinking, the deaths of three people linked to the event and the general headaches caused by the event's attendees, will that be enough to overcome the more than $2 million estimated to be brought into town by the event?
The fair board will take on that question at a key meeting June 7, at which there will be no shortage of opinions on the event's good and bad points.
Ginther and the board are taking the right approach. They're interested in hearing from all involved -- business owners, the sheriff and local residents -- before making their decision.
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Beer Company To Suspend Ads Seen As Offensive To Hispanics
KMGH, CO, May 21, 2004
LOS ANGELES -- The U.S. distributor of a Mexican beer says it will pull a bunch of billboard ads next month -- after they were criticized as being offensive to the Hispanic community.
The billboards feature a leaning bottle of Tecate beer with the tag line: "Finally, A Cold Latina."
Critics said the ad perpetuates negative stereotypes of Hispanic women as being loose or overly sexual.
Last week, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus sent a letter to Labatt USA, asking for the ads to be pulled. In a statement this week, Labatt said it will pull the ads by the end of the month. The company adds, though, that the ads were supposed to end their run at that time.
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More on the Tecate Beer Billboards
Don’t celebrate alcohol rise
Detroit News, MI, May 23, 2004
The recent article, “Michigan downs liquor quicker” (May 16), is nothing less than misguided. Problems associated with alcohol abuse such as alcoholism, drunk driving, homelessness, domestic violence and underage drinking are contributing factors in Michigan’s struggle to become a healthier state. A 38 percent increase in alcohol sales is nothing to celebrate.
Unfortunately, the majority of the sources for this unbalanced report were with bar owners, liquor store managers, bartenders and alcohol industry spokespeople.
It is inconceivable that double-digit increases in alcohol consumption would warrant front page headlines only days after the alcohol-related death of Bloomfield Township Police Officer Gary Davis. The loss of his life is a glaring reminder that we can never minimize the devastating effects of alcohol abuse.
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Friday, May 21, 2004
Students examine drinking and its effects
News Journal, DE, May 20, 2004
A group of students from the University of Delaware has taken a hard look at the alcohol industry in Newark and students' role in it.
They said they were surprised by what they found, including how much money is made from student beer consumption, the sometimes lax enforcement of liquor laws and how bars in Newark can get around the prohibition on offering drink specials.
"I think it will be an eye opener," said Beth Thompson, 22, a senior and the executive producer of a 35-minute documentary called "Behind Bars."
Samara Passo, 21, a segment producer and reporter for the documentary, said she was shocked at the profit margin and volume of beer sales locally. Though Delaware's population is about 800,000, the Yuengling Brewery alone sells over 12 million bottles of beer in the state, with Newark being a top sales spot, according to the documentary. And Passo said a bottle of beer that sells for $3 on Main Street can be produced for as little as 50 cents. Students also interviewed Newark bartenders who make as much as $1,000 a week.
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Brewers may pay for drunkenness, says Blair
UK Guardian, May 21, 2004
The prime minister yesterday warned the alcohol industry that unless it did more to curb binge drinking it would be forced to pay for dealing with drunken behaviour.
Mr. Blair threw his weight behind the drive against alcohol abuse, which the government believes is responsible for nearly half the violent crime in Britain.
In his first major speech on the subject, he told a London seminar called to discuss the national alcohol strategy that the problem was in danger of becoming "a new British disease".
He urged the drinks industry to avoid advertising campaigns that glamorised alcohol and attracted under-age drinkers, and warned that if voluntary action did not work companies would face levies to cover the costs of additional policing, street cleaning and late transport.
"The government is working with the industry on the development of a social responsibility scheme which may well include some financial contribution to the costs of policing our town centres and tackling some of the costs of alcohol misuse," Mr. Blair said.
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Advertising: New skirmishes in the light beer wars
Naples Daily News, FL, New York Times News Service, May 21, 2004
The battle between the brewers of the Budweiser and Miller brand lines over the carbohydrate content of beers is taking a new, nasty turn.
Carbohydrates became part of the beer wars in 2002 when Anheuser-Busch introduced a low-carbohydrate beer called Michelob Ultra (with 2.6 grams in 12 ounces, compared with 10.6 for Budweiser). The fight is illustrative of two big questions that have long vexed Madison Avenue. Simply put, if your brand is a leader, how do you respond to challenger brands without seeming like a petulant braggart fearful of legitimate rivalry? And by the same token, if your brand is a challenger, do you attack the leader, running the risk of seeming insecure or desperate, giving the leader even more publicity?
Robert Mikulay, executive vice president for marketing at Miller, sent a note to distributors Thursday in which he described the "queen of carbs" remarks as meant to "denigrate consumer concern about carbs" and "position Miller Lite as being simply a carb-centric brand." Others were taken aback by the remarks.
"This to me says only women or 'girly men' have to watch their carbs because they have to be thin," said Terry O'Neill, a vice president at the National Organization for Women in Washington. "It's a little homophobic, and sexist," she added, "but for the alcohol industry, that ain't nothing new."
Glennda Testone, media director at the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation in New York, said she believed the slogan "is pretty overtly sexist," because it implies being a king is better than being a queen, "and one step away from being homophobic," because the word queen can be used as an epithet to describe an effeminate man.
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More on Beer Industry and Low-Carb Beer
Thursday, May 20, 2004
Nearly 20 percent of businesses fail compliance checks
Fairmont Sentinel, MN, May 20, 2004
Six Fairmont businesses failed recent alcohol compliance checks, while another business was reportedly selling alcohol without a proper license.
The Fairmont Police Department completed more than 30 alcohol compliance checks in the past month on businesses licensed to sell alcohol, which include bars, restaurants, convenience stores and the municipal liquor store. The compliance checks were conducted by young adults under the age of 21 under the direct supervision of plain clothes Fairmont police officers.
"The high failure rate shown by this latest round of alcohol compliance checks is disappointing," said Fairmont Police Chief Greg Brolsma. "It's disturbing that almost 20 percent of businesses licensed to sell alcohol within Fairmont failed, although the majority of businesses did an excellent job by refusing to sell to our underage buyers. These latest compliance checks help identify the importance and need for consistent enforcement and education of alcohol sales and laws."
The employees caught selling alcohol to minors were referred to the Martin County Attorney for criminal prosecution. Providing alcohol to a minor is a gross misdemeanor, with a maximum penalty of a year in jail and a $3,000 fine.
"We recognize that selling alcohol is a legitimate business that plays a valid role in our community," Brolsma said. "Selling alcohol is a privilege that has very specific responsibilities attached to it and we ask that businesses fulfill those responsibilities consistently."
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The U.S. Beer Drinking Team Taps McMahon Media To Spearhead National And International Broadcast Syndication Expansion For Beer Radio
PR Web, May 20, 2004
Severna Park, MD (PRWEB)-- After an arduous national search, the producers of Beer Radio ~ The Official Radio Program for the U.S. Beer Drinking Team (USBDT) have selected McMahon Media to spearhead national and international syndication expansion for Beer Radio.
Beer Radio is the only national radio program dedicated to the 90,000,000 passionate beer drinkers who spend $75 billion dollars per year in the USA each year. Beer Radio celebrates "your best beer on your best day with your best friends". Beer Radio’s legendary host, “Big Don” O’Brien and his beer buddies talk about "everything beer" including Budweiser, Miller and Coors, as well as great microbrews and international beers. Segments include: Beer and Sports, Beer and Music, Beer Careers, Cooking with Beer, Beer and Fitness, Defenders of Beer, Draft Report, Home Brew, Think B4U Drink! and more. Beer Radio broadcasts during Saturday sports and tailgating drive-time from 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM (eastern). A 90 second daily vignette called "The Beer Minute" will be included in each affiliate package.
"The beer industry is one of the largest advertisers in the country," stated Ms. McMahon. "Beer and radio are a natural fit. We wonder why no one else is doing this. Beer Radio will clear in any market and is designed for talk, sports, rock, CHR and other formats.”
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Belmont Parents get eye-opener on drug abuse by young kids
San Francisco Chronicle, May 20, 2004
Belmont parents gathered Wednesday, nearly a month after a 14-year- old girl died from ingesting ecstasy, to hear public safety officials talk about the realities of drug and alcohol abuse.
About 200 parents attended the sobering presentation at Carlmont High School. It was organized by officials from the Belmont-Redwood Shores School District and the Belmont Police Department in response to the ecstasy death of Ralston Middle School student eighth-grader Irma Perez.
The parents heard from members of the task force who talked about new drug trends, paraphernalia, risks and ways of talking about drug use with their children. Police brought photographs of overdose victims. School district officials hoped the message would help parents find an opportunity to talk to their children about drugs and alcohol.
Belmont Safe Schools, a cooperative effort between the Police Department and local schools, organized two similar education meetings last month but both attracted no more than 50 parents. "Use this as a teaching moment, a learning opportunity for all of us," said Superintendent John McIntosh on Wednesday night. "This is a community problem. It's a community issue. We need to work together to solve it."
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Wednesday, May 19, 2004
Diana Griego Erwin: Outrage spreads over beer billboards that stereotype Latin women
Sacramento Bee, CA, May 18, 2004
Finally. A cold Latina." - Tecate beer advertisement. This is how a movement is made. One person stands up, followed by another and another. So it is with the growing protest over the sexist Tecate beer billboard implying that all Latinas are "hot." Hot-blooded. Hot, sexy.
Basically, (they're) equating beer with sex," she said. No big news there. Check out in-store advertising in liquor stores sometime, most of it featuring models wearing little besides a come-hither expression.
Researchers who've analyzed the advertising practices of the alcohol industry say there's reason to be concerned, particularly when it comes to the impact on teens and children. A 1997 study by the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science found that the concentration of alcohol ads depicting Latinas as sexual objects in a neighborhood leads to increased violence against Latina teenagers.
The Labatt statement went on to say the company is analyzing the feedback and would come to some sort of decision this week. Comments can be e-mailed to the company at cervezatecate@beerdesk.com, or there's a form you can fill out at its Web site, www.labatt.com.
Labatt is a big player in the beer industry. The Canadian brewing concern's brands include Rolling Rock, Labatt Blue, Canadian Ale and Kokanee, and the company distributes Lowenbrau, Dos Equis, Sol, Carta Blanca and other beers.
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More on Latino groups protesting offensive billboards for Tecate beer
Parents of dead teen sue eatery over booze
San Diego Union-Tribune, CA, May 19, 2004
The parents of a Vista teenager who was killed last year in an alcohol-related crash are suing to suspend a restaurant's liquor license for not cutting off drinks to the man who drove the vehicle.
In a draft lawsuit, which lawyers plan to file today in Superior Court, John and Susan Tryon contend that Oggi's Pizza & Brewing Co. violated state law by continuing to serve alcohol to Ryan Nielsen, 21, even though he was "obviously intoxicated."
According to the lawsuit, the county Medical Examiner's Office determined that Nielsen had a blood-alcohol level of .18 of a percent, more than twice the legal limit of .08 of a percent.
Because of that, the lawsuit contends, Nielsen would probably have shown outward signs of intoxication at the restaurant, such as slurred speech, difficulty walking or bloodshot eyes. Despite this, the lawsuit says, receipts show employees continued to serve him alcohol.
Various nonprofit organizations that focus on alcohol and drug prevention have joined the Tryons in the lawsuit. Among them are the North Coastal Prevention Coalition, the San Diego County Policy Panel on Youth Access to Alcohol, the California Council on Alcohol Policy and the Trauma Foundation.
"What the complaint is seeking to do is enhance the alcohol service at bars and restaurants such as Oggi's," said Anne Browne, one of the lawyers for the Tryons.
Susan Tryon, Eric's mother, said in an interview yesterday that she hopes the lawsuit will send a message to restaurant owners and consumers about dealing with alcohol responsibly...
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More Info on Other Lawsuits Against the Alcohol Industry
'Rocklin Jubilee' Decides To Limit Alcohol Sales
MSNBC / KCRA, CA, May 18, 2004
The city of Rocklin wants to keep an annual summer festival "family-friendly," so, it's limiting the amount of alcohol sales at the event.
Each year, the Rocklin Jubilee attracts thousands of people. This summer, attendance is expected to reach close to 25,000.
City officials say they've dealt with several alcohol-related incidents in the past, which is why they're limiting alcohol sales.
"As the community grows and the event grows, it becomes important to try to control that activity so that the families that come to enjoy the event are not disrupted by some obnoxious individual who is abusing alcohol. It's also an attempt to control underage drinking," said Rocklin City Manager Carlos Urrutia.
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Liquor commission OKs licenses for 3 gas stations
Peoria Journal Star, IL, May 18, 2004
The Peoria Liquor Commission approved requests for three local gas stations to sell alcohol but rejected two others because they are too close to neighborhoods.
The City Council will vote on all five liquor license requests at its June 1 meeting. City Liquor Commissioner and At-large Councilman Eric Turner believes the council also will oppose liquor sales at the two gas stations abutting neighborhoods.
"I think today showed why this process works," Turner said. "The ones that passed were in busy commercial areas. The ones that didn't directly abutted neighborhoods."
Even though Road Ranger, at the corner of University Street and War Memorial Drive, explained how they conduct their own "stings" three times a month to ensure there are no sales of alcohol and tobacco to underage patrons, the commissioners sided with the two neighbors who testified against them.
The commission also recommended denial for the Speedway station, 3124 N. Prospect Road, after several residents testified in opposition. Speedway withdrew requests for liquor licenses at two other gas stations, saying one was too small and the other was next to a church.
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Tuesday, May 18, 2004
Advertisers woo child consumers
SunHerald.com, MS, May 18, 2004
In an American culture built on consumer spending, how young is too young to advertise to children?
That's a hotly debated question, even among people who earn their living marketing to children: 61 percent of those involved in the industry said that advertising to children starts at too young an age, according to a recent survey by Harris Interactive.
Not everyone agrees. "Marketing to young children is at some level inherently unfair because children 7 and younger don't understand the fantasy/reality distinction the same way adults do," said Dr. Douglas Gentile, a psychology professor at Iowa State University and research director at the National Institute on Media and the Family, a nonpartisan, nonprofit advocacy group.
Gentile is ambivalent about toys and age-appropriate products being marketed to young children, but he's clear in his antipathy towards tobacco and alcohol advertising. Seventh- through 12th-graders are strongly affected by beer ads, according to one study he conducted.
"Budweiser, in the seventh- through 12th-grade sample, has 99 percent brand awareness. There are almost no other companies in the world with 99 percent brand awareness," he said. "It's really amazing when you think that this product is illegal for them."
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More on Alcohol Advertising and Youth
Bid for alcohol sales loses
Boston Globe, MA, May 16, 2004
By a 30-vote margin, Weston Town Meeting decided Wednesday to uphold the town's longstanding ban on alcohol sales. Weston remains one of only 17 communities in Massachusetts that outlaw the sale of alcohol.
The question of lifting the town's ban on booze was prompted by Kara Kardon, a 41-year-old mother of three who sought to open a wine shop in Weston Center. The issue had not been addressed for at least 25 years, according to town officials. Kardon said allowing alcohol sales would help nonprofit fund-raising events, attract customers to local businesses, and make shopping more convenient for residents.
But most voters at Town Meeting disagreed. After more than an hour of vigorous debate, the majority of residents voted against the article, which lost 97 to 67.
Many opponents noted that several large wine and liquor stores are located a few miles away in neighboring communities, such as Waltham and Newton.
Mary Ellen Sikes said if wine and beer were to be sold in town, "the costs would outweigh the benefits," and noted, with tears in her eyes, that convenient access to alcohol could be detrimental to children, as well as alcoholics and their families.
"It's my fear that if alcohol is present, children will be tempted to shoplift," Sikes said. "If the town of Weston is about community, why is alcohol in this equation at all?"
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Lawsuits target alcohol industry
USA Today, May, 13, 2004
Consumers' attorneys across the nation have begun to target the alcoholic beverage industry, filing lawsuits that claim that some leading brewers and distillers are using slick advertising to sell products to underage drinkers.
Some legal analysts say the alcohol lawsuits seem less likely to succeed because of generally positive public attitudes about alcohol and because research has raised doubts about a link between ads and underage drinking.
In November, attorneys led by David Boies III of Fairfax, Va., filed suit in state court in Charlotte against brewers Coors and Heineken, distillers Diageo and Bacardi and the makers of Zima and Mike's Hard Lemonade, two flavored alcoholic beverages, or "alcopops."
Boies' lawsuits allege that alcohol companies place ads in magazines such as Stuff, FHM and Spin that appeal to males under age 21, or in Glamour, which is oriented toward females of similar ages.
All are designed to push people younger than 21 to obtain alcohol illegally, the lawsuit claims. The lawsuits also say alcohol companies encourage underage drinking by posting rules for drinking games on company Web sites, and by placing their products in movies aimed at those under 21.
The alcohol companies are fighting back. They are trying to have the cases moved from state courts to federal courts. The companies believe federal rules improve their chances by, among other things, making it more difficult for class-action cases to succeed.
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More Info on the Lawsuits
Monday, May 17, 2004
New Site Provides Summaries of Research on Alcohol and Health
Join Together, May 14, 2004
Alcohol and Health: Current Evidence is a new, free web resource from Boston University that provides summaries of the latest clinically relevant research on alcohol and health, particularly in the area of health disparities.
The research summaries, published bimonthly, are written by physicians with clinical, research, and educational expertise in alcohol-related issues, and include commentary relevant to primary care practice.
The newsletter, a project of the Boston Medical Center, is a product of the Alcohol Clinical Training Project. It is supported by a grant from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and produced in cooperation with the Boston University Schools of Medicine and Public Health.
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Sides form on alcohol proposal
Dallas Morning News, TX, May 15, 2004
Alcohol sales have been a hot issue in Irving, attracting attention of City Council candidates, most of whom oppose the effort. But opponents will have to compete against Irving Citizens for Economic Growth, a well-financed organization that has the support of various business and homeowner groups.
Supporters say beer and wine sales in grocery and convenience stores would help keep more sales tax revenue in Irving's coffers. But opponents say beer and wine sales will harm the city's quality of life.
Central and south Irving would be particularly vulnerable, they say. They believe beer and wine sales would burden police officers, who would have to monitor stores for sales to underage customers.
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Friday, May 14, 2004
Lightning promotion draws opposition
Associated Press, May 12, 2004
TAMPA, Fla. -- The Tampa Bay Lightning's promotion offering free beer to season ticket buyers drew the ire of safe-driving advocates, and the team said Wednesday that it will not offer similar promotions in the future.
During the first Eastern Conference playoff game between the Lightning and the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday, the St. Pete Times Forum's main scoreboard advertised the offer. Those who paid $100 toward 2004-05 season tickets were eligible for free beer during the game.
The Lightning clarified their promotion Wednesday, saying the team offered four free coupons -- each redeemable for a 12-ounce beer -- to those making ticket deposits at Saturday's game only. The organization said the promotion will not be used again.
Police and several area chapters of Mothers Against Drunk Driving said the hockey team's offer was irresponsible. "Why attach alcohol to a season-ticket plan? It's almost encouraging people to drink more than they should because it is free," said Sgt. Chris Velar, who runs the Police Department's drunken driving squad.
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More on Alcohol and Sports
RMCA asks parents for opinions on underage drinking
West Roxbury Transcript, MA, May 13, 2004
The Roslindale Mobilizing for Change on Alcohol project hopes to survey more than 1,000 parents of youth ages 11 through 18. The one-page, anonymous survey ... asks for parents' opinions about alcohol and underage drinking.
Input from parents will add to the community conversation and help identify critical issues. RMCA and the community can then choose the best strategies to increase protective factors and reduce risk factors for youth and alcohol.
RMCA is a five-year community organizing project to reduce underage drinking. This project began in 2003, and project staff and volunteers have talked with neighbors, professionals and youth to find out their beliefs and practices. The goal is to reduce underage drinking by identifying sources of alcohol for youth and addressing opinions, policies and behaviors that support underage drinking in Roslindale. RMCA is offering a $10 gift certificate to a local deli/ice cream shop as an incentive for filling out and mailing in the survey.
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Drunkenness No Barrier to Getting More Booze
Palm Beach Post, FL , May 13, 2004
Most bars and liquor stores continue to sell alcohol to obviously intoxicated patrons regardless of laws that prohibit it, a new study says.
Although most states have laws that forbid bars and liquor stores from selling alcohol to people who are obviously drunk, these laws are often not enforced by the police and are ignored by bar and liquor store owners. Serving alcohol to intoxicated people leads to car accidents and violence associated with alcohol abuse.
"Despite laws prohibiting sales of alcohol to obviously intoxicated people, the vast majority of businesses licensed to sell alcohol would sell to someone that appeared to be intoxicated," said lead researcher Dr. Traci L. Toomey, an associate professor of epidemiology from the University of Minnesota.
In their study, Toomey and her colleagues had trained actors try to buy alcohol while appearing intoxicated. Over 10 months, actors visited 372 bars and liquor stores in 11 communities. The research team found 79 percent of the establishments sold alcohol to these pretend drunks.
"The laws prohibiting sales to intoxicated persons are not being enforced, and they are not being complied with by retailers," James F. Mosher, the director of the Center for the Study of Law and Enforcement Policy at the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation added. If these laws are enforced, Mosher said, there would be significant drops in drunk driving rates and in alcohol-related problems such as violence.
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Thursday, May 13, 2004
Alcohol lawsuits target ads
Denver Post, May 12, 2004
A series of lawsuits alleging that alcohol companies deliberately market to minors could one day become a national legal landmark - but not unless a "smoking gun" is found to incriminate the companies, legal experts said.
The alcohol marketing suits were filed in Colorado; Washington, D.C.; and North Carolina against Bacardi, Heineken, Mike's Hard Lemonade Co. and a half-dozen other beverage companies, including Golden-based Adolph Coors Co. and its Zima unit.
Legal experts said similarities exist between the alcohol-marketing cases and the national tobacco litigation of the 1990s that culminated with a settlement payment by tobacco companies of more than $246 billion.
But the alcohol lawsuits as yet appear to lack the proof of dishonesty and deceptiveness that characterized accusations against cigarette makers.
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More info on the Lawsuits
Some Hispanics Not Happy With Ad
NY Daily News, May 11, 2004
Some Hispanic women in New York City are not happy about a billboard ad for beer.
The New York Daily News reports the beer ad displays a sudsy brew with a tagline, "Finally, a cold Latina."
"The implications of this one are a little frightening," says Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez, president of the Hispanic Federation. "It's one thing to exploit the female body as sexual objects, but this speaks to the negative stereotype that all Latina women are hot tamales in a very subtle and insidious way."
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See the Billboard Ad
Target denied alcohol sales
MSNBC / KNSD (CA), , May 13, 2004
Target Corp. wants to sell beer and wine at its store on Rancho California Road, but has hit a snag due to state regulations regarding how many liquor licenses can be issued in a specific census tract.
In a letter to the city, Target said it plans to appeal the decision to the City Council on the grounds that the state regulations are "arbitrary" and the commission has approved liquor licenses for similar big-box retailers...
In the wake of the Los Angeles riots in the early 1990s, the state Legislature sought to crack down on the prevalence of alcohol licenses by allowing the state department of Alcoholic Beverage Control to consider "overconcentration" a factor in approving liquor licenses.
The Legislature required local governing agencies to declare a "public necessity or convenience" before a liquor license can be issued to a business in an area the ABC determined has too many alcohol vendors.
There are 12 businesses with liquor licenses in the area around Target, just east of the intersection of Rancho California and Ynez roads. Only five are allowed within that census tract based on population numbers so the area was labeled overconcentrated, said Lori Tolle, an ABC investigator.
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More on how Alcoholic Beverage Control issues liquor licenses
More on Alochol Outlet Density and Underage Drinking
Abutters speak against Chili's
Sentinel and Enterprise (MA), May 11, 2004
North Leominster residents raised concerns about traffic and drunken drivers Monday night during a liquor license hearing for Chili's Grill and Bar's future site in Orchard Hill Park.
The License Commission voted 3-0 to continue an informational hearing after about 50 angry residents complained that traffic and road conditions, combined with alcohol, would make the neighborhood unsafe.
"Chili's may be a good idea for Leominster, but it's not a good idea for something so close in a densely populated neighborhood," said Bernie McCaffrey of 100 Ridgewood Drive.
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Wednesday, May 12, 2004
Diana Griego Erwin: Latinas fight for identity beyond beer billboards' stereotyped facade
Sacramento Bee, CA, May 11, 2004
Is beer any good, or does it really need to blatantly exploit sexuality to sell it?
That's the question the beer industry might ask itself as it analyzes its latest marketing misstep in an advertising campaign that's angered Latinas and others in the Southwest and Northern California.
The controversy over a Tecate beer advertisement started in New Mexico where university students were successful in getting several billboards brought down following an uproar in Albuquerque.
But now complaints in that city are resonating at the University of California, Davis, as word spreads of the Tecate ad, which some describe as furthering the exploitative stereotype of the so-called hot Latina.
The billboard features a tilted Tecate beer bottle heavily beaded with dewy condensation and the words "Finally. A Cold Latina. "It's just so blatantly racist and sexist," Ordaz said. "They either hyper-sexualize us or totally de-sexualize us. And what? All to sell a commodity. Beer."
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More on Latino groups protesting offensive billboards for
Tecate beer
MN MADD Youth in Action Members Perform Crime Re-Enactment
PR Newswire, May 11, 2004
EDINA, Minn. -- Minnesota Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Youth In Action (YIA) members will demonstrate against adults providing alcohol to minors on Thursday, May 13, 2004, from 4:30 to 5:00 p.m. at the Edina Municipal Liquor Store in Edina, MN. As graduation season draws near, YIA members are concerned about adults providing alcohol to students at graduation.
All spring, YIA members have been asking liquor stores and businesses in their communities to display MADD's "Dad in Jail" poster. In addition, the Minnesota Municipal Beverage Association encouraged all Municipal Liquor stores in the state to join the campaign against adult providers. At the event in Edina, YIA members will re-create the image of MADD's "Dad in Jail" poster and perform a skit that sends the message, "Providing alcohol to minors doesn't make them adults. It makes you a criminal."
Over the last few years, YIA was instrumental in passing three new laws that get tough on adult providers of alcohol to youth. These include keg registration and increased civil and criminal penalties on adults who provide alcohol to minors. YIA members, Edina Municipal Liquor stores and students from Edina High School are speaking at the event to raise awareness of the laws and to deter adults from serving alcohol to this year's graduating seniors.
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Blunkett warns on binge drinking
UK Guardian, May 12, 2004
The government will crack down on happy hours and cheap drinks promotions unless the alcohol industry acts responsibly to curb binge drinking, the home secretary said yesterday.
David Blunkett was speaking at a police chiefs' conference where senior officers heard how alcohol-fuelled violence was draining resources.
The Home Office estimates it costs £1bn to deal with 4.5 million anti-social incidents a year, much of them drink-related.
Mr. Blunkett told the Association of Chief Police Officers' annual conference in Birmingham that many communities were "bedevilled" by anti-social behaviour on Friday and Saturday nights.
The government hopes 24-hour licensing laws, which start in July next year, will ease pressure on the police by staggering closing times, avoiding crowds spilling on to the streets at the same time. The legislation will also give the police powers to shut down noisy and disorderly pubs and clubs immediately for 24 hours.
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Tuesday, May 11, 2004
Grant will combat underage drinking
Oshkosh Northwestern, WI, May 10, 2004
“It basically came down to the thought that if what we’re doing right now isn’t working, what can we do differently?” said police Sgt. Steve Sagmeister. “We’re decided to involve students and members of the community.”
The new committee includes high school students, students from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, police and other community members. During the first phase of their project, the committee will complete two rounds of compliance checks at local businesses licensed to sell alcohol.
Police and the coalition will later attempt to address house parties through special patrols and education.
Sagmeister said police are planning to address underage drinking through a variety of means because simple enforcement isn’t always enough to address the issue.
“Ultimately, what we’re trying to do is change behavior,” he said.
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Preventing Underage Alcohol Parties
The Physiological Effects of Alcohol on Teenagers
Authorities run alcohol compliance checks
Grand Island Independent, NE, May 11, 2004
While the majority of the 67 businesses in a weekend alcohol compliance check passed, authorities are still disappointed with the failure rate -- especially concerning one business that failed twice.
Twelve different businesses out of the 67 checked had employees that failed the check. Five of those businesses had been cited once before and one had been cited twice before, Williams said.
"It was alarming," he said. "All but one of the businesses (that failed) checked the minor's identification but sold alcohol anyway. These businesses need to take additional measures to verify the minor's age. Carefully checking identification is the best way to prevent alcohol sales to minors."
Compliance checks are conducted to help communities determine the extent of the problem of alcohol sales to minors. Such enforcement can be used as a measure of the impact prevention efforts have within the community, according to the Sheriff's Department press release.
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Wanted alive: Teenage drinkers
Daily Herald, IL, May 11, 2004
Carlson is helping the Illinois Crime Commission get the word out about a new program unveiled Monday dubbed "Operation Prom Night."
The non-profit group is offering $100 rewards for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone caught providing alcohol to minors. It also pays for tips on underage drunken drivers.
Tipsters are encouraged to call their local police to report underage drinking parties or if they spot a minor getting behind the wheel after drinking. The program also targets parents who host post-prom parties in which alcohol is served to minors.
State Rep. Paul Froehlich, a Schaumburg Republican, said parents also should know they could be sued for millions under a new law beginning in October that targets those who provide alcohol to minors.
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More on Preventing Underage Alcohol Parties
Monday, May 10, 2004
Senate trying to get tougher on states that let drivers drink
Houston Chronicle, TX, May 8, 2004
On a steamy bayou day, there's nothing like picking up 32 ounces of frozen daiquiri at the local drive-through and gulping it as you head down the highway. It's legal in Louisiana -- if the lid's on the cup and the straw doesn't stick out.
But as long as people are allowed to drink in their cars, Washington, D.C., lawmakers are going to keep pushing to withhold a chunk of federal highway aid from states such as Louisiana.
...Catherine Childers, executive director of Louisiana Mothers Against Drunk Driving, noted how the problem of drinking and driving threatens to grow worse in her state. She worries about the drive-in drinks and also about new ways of consuming alcohol on the run. She is concerned, for instance, about people buying "Jell-O shots," or alcohol-laced gelatin squares on a toothpick, and taking them along on their rides. "This is a public health issue," Childers said, "when behavior puts the public at a great risk."
Of the 14 states targeted by Washington, six ban drivers from consuming alcohol -- although Louisiana has the frozen daiquiri exception. That exception, say supporters of the open-container law, illustrates just how far alcohol interests will go. "I don't think there ought to be a state in this country where you can drink (and) drive," said Dorgan. "It's as simple as that."
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S.F. bar owners hauling underage drinkers into court
San Francisco Chronicle, CA, May 10, 2004
When Amante bar in San Francisco was slapped with a $3,000 fine for serving an underage customer who had used someone else's driver's license to gain entrance, the owners of the bustling North Beach establishment decided to take action.
They sued the 20-year-old woman in San Francisco's small claims court and last month won a $5,000 judgment. Emboldened by the success of their innovative approach, Amante's owners, Michael DiBenedetti, Wizz Wentworth and Erik Boardman, have decided they won't stop there. They have joined other bar owners to crack down on underage drinkers by turning to the court system to make them pay.
"I definitely think it's going to send a message,'' said Dibenedetti, who has been in the bartending business for 30 years. "Let it be known that all of the bars are going to be doing this, and it's going to cost these underage kids more than a slap on the wrist.''
Owners of the Amante say they turned to the courts because of the increased difficulty of spotting phony identification cards due to advances in technology used to make them and the steep penalties bar owners face for serving underage customers.
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Safety is message in any language
Framingham Metro West Daily News, MA, May 10, 2004
In time for graduation and prom season, Mothers Against Drunk Driving has created a "Safe Party Guide" in Spanish and English on the importance of celebrating without alcohol. MADD is also working with the Ad Council on an underage drinking prevention media campaign targeting Latino parents.
MADD's campaign in the Latino community comes after national studies revealed Hispanic teens are more often targeted than their non-Hispanic peers with alcohol advertising. Although he is four years below the legal drinking age, Gonzalez and all Hispanics between 12 and 20 years old have been targeted by alcohol ads more than non-Hispanics of the same age, according to a study released by the Center for Alcohol Marketing and Youth (CAMY) at Georgetown University in Washington last year.
The study, followed by a more recent report that says the top 15 teen television shows in the U.S. all had alcohol advertising in 2002, describes the situation as "serious and disturbing."
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More on Alcohol Advertising and Youth
Bill to require ID numbers on beer kegs is approved
Mobile Register, AL, May 08, 2004
MONTGOMERY -- Beer kegs in Mobile County would require identification numbers to help police identify those who supply underage drinkers under a bill that passed the Legislature this week.
Said Rep. Jamie Ison of her bill: "Everyone is very happy about this -- the retailers, the distributors, the sheriff's office. ... This is just one more tool to help law enforcement officials."
Lobbyists representing retailers and distributors sometimes oppose bills that increase regulations or taxes on their clients, but the industries did not work against Ison's proposal.
In an interview earlier this legislative session, Donna Alexander, executive director of the Alabama Wholesale Beer Association, told the Mobile Register that her organization would support "anything that can put one more roadblock in front of teen drinking."
The bill's passage comes after a rash of underage drinking arrests along the Gulf Coast in recent years, leading a community task force to explore ways to curb alcohol consumption among young people.
"We're going to see how this works and then bring a statewide bill next year," Ison said.
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Friday, May 7, 2004
Alcohol billboard near Grayslake school removed after inquiry
Chicago Daily Herald, IL, May 6, 2004
A possible controversy led to the sudden mid-afternoon removal of a sexy woman and her Bacardi Silver malt beverage from a billboard advertisement at Route 45 and Casey Road, in the shadows of Connections Day School. The ad had been in place for the past two weeks.
Betty Lindquist, one of Connections' founders, had recently complained to Lake County government about the billboard being about 100 feet from the school's entrance. She said students could have perceived the ad as glorifying alcohol.
Citing how Anheuser-Busch Inc., brewer of Bacardi Silver, follows the Beer Institute's advertising and marketing code, spokeswoman Carol Clark said the Bacardi Silver ad never should have been within 500 feet of Connections.
What makes alcohol billboards near schools a bad idea is students are forced to navigate though mixed messages, University of Minnesota Assistant Professor Traci Toomey said. She's associate director of the university's Alcohol Epidemiology Program.
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More on Alcohol Advertising and Youth
Germany cracks down on youth drinking & smoking
DW-World.DE, May 6, 2004
The German parliament has passed new regulations in an attempt to discourage young people from drinking and smoking. The measures include increased taxes on sweet alcoholic drinks, known as "alcopops" and a ban on small packets of cigarettes. The government has accused drinks manufactures of deliberately marketing alcopops at under-18s, causing a marked increased of emergency hospital admissions for alcohol poisoning amongst young people. According to a survey, every second alcopop is bought illegally by an under-18 year old.
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Thursday, May 6, 2004
Alcohol-tax backers to make use of poll
Indianapolis Star, IN, May 5, 2004
A new study could give a boost to advocates for increasing the tax on alcohol in Indiana, which ranks in the bottom third of states on alcohol taxes.
Nearly two-thirds of the country's registered voters said they would favor raising alcohol taxes to pay for programs aimed at curbing underage drinking, according to a telephone poll released Tuesday by the American Medical Association.
Hoosier advocates, including the Indiana Coalition to Curb Underage Drinking, say they will use the poll next year to persuade lawmakers to raise Indiana's alcohol taxes.
"We feel it is an effective way to raise money for programs and initiatives that will reduce underage drinking," said Lisa Hutcheson, the project's director.
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Liquor store crackdown gains support
Oakland Tribune, CA, May 6, 2004
Problem liquor stores would be closed and no new liquor store licenses would be issued under a proposal approved unanimously by the Oakland City Council on Tuesday.
Dozens of Oakland residents had supported the liquor license moratorium after a survey by the city attorney's Neighborhood Law Corps (.pdf) found that a third of Oakland's 359 liquor stores have been the subject of multiple complaints.
The council also directed the city attorney's office to craft an ordinance prohibiting liquor stores from selling "set ups" -- small pints of hard liquor with a cup of ice and a slice of lemon or lime, ready to drink.
Another ordinance under consideration seeks to increase the ability of passers-by to see into liquor stores. While state law limits advertising and signage to 33 percent of the store's window, many owners push shelves or refrigerators against the windows to reduce visibility, officials said.
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See how Oakland youth are making a difference
House says: If you ride, don't drink
Times Picayune, LA, May 6, 2004
After years of opposition from Louisiana's powerful liquor lobby, a bill seeking to end the state's tolerance of open alcohol containers in vehicles finally made it to the House floor Wednesday and won comfortable approval, 66-30.
Senate Bill 341, unanimously approved by the Senate last month, now goes back to that chamber for agreement on an amendment tacked on in the House. That amendment, by Rep. Danny Martiny, R-Kenner, would exempt from the drinking ban passengers in a limousine driven by a licensed chauffeur.
Under present law, only the driver is prevented from having an open alcoholic beverage container -- a law that highway safety experts and police say is unworkable because the driver can hand an alcohol container to a passenger if stopped.
Rep. Mike Futrell, R-Baton Rouge, who handled the bill in the House, said the measure is needed to curb drunken driving and save lives. Futrell said the state has the third-highest highway fatality rate because of alcohol, and the bill would eliminate one possible source of those deaths.
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Alcohol ad near school sparks protests
KOB-TV, NM, May 6, 2004
Cinco de Mayo has no connection to alcohol except for the link implied in seasonal advertising by beer and liquor companies. That link is resented by many Hispanics, including students at an Albuquerque charter high school.
Students at Robert F. Kennedy Charter High School are protesting an ad for Tecate beer that’s on a billboard about a block from their school. The ad depicts a Tecate bottle and the words, “Finally, A Cold Latina.”
The students called billboard owner Clear Channel Outdoor and Tecate importer Labatt USA to complain about the ads and ask that they be taken down. A Clear Channel spokeswoman says the Tecate billboards will be taken down since the contract for the ads ended Wednesday.
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View the Tecate billboard
More on Effects of Alcohol & Advertising on Latinos
Wednesday, May 5, 2004
Latino Activists Call for Budweiser Boycott on Cinco de Mayo
Cinco de Mayo Con Orgullo, May 5, 2004
Los Angeles Latinos have identified the Anheuser-Busch company, the largest beer company in the U.S. and maker of Budweiser, as the leader in racist marketing practices towards Latinos. Budweiser, first in targeting Latinos with ads that pervert and demean Latino culture, also owns a substantial share of the Modelo Corporation, maker of the popular import beer Corona.
Members of the community protested the expropriation of the holiday at a rally on March 30th at historic Placita Olvera in downtown Los Angeles, where they called for a boycott of Budweiser products during Cinco de Mayo weekend.
According to Bill Gallegos of the Trauma Foundation, Budweiser has been at the forefront of alcohol industry efforts to use the Cinco de Mayo holiday as a marketing ploy. They have spent millions of dollars on a campaign to connect the holiday with drinking, in complete disrespect for its true meaning.
Cinco de Mayo is about Mexico’s fight for freedom from foreign domination, not about gulping beer. “By boycotting Budweiser, we can send a message to the alcohol industry to leave our culture alone.” Budweiser spends about $25 million a year marketing to the young and rapidly growing Latino community.
More on the "Cinco de Mayo Con Orgullo" (With Pride) Campaign
Cinco de Mayo organizers forgo big festival, beer sponsorships for more intimate, cultural event
San Francisco Chronicle, CA, May 5, 2004
Cinco de Mayo, celebrated in recent years with huge street fairs so sodden with beer sponsorships that the holiday earned the nickname Drinko de Mayo, is returning to its roots today in San Francisco with a small, neighborhood event in the Mission District.
Organizers moved the festivities several years ago to the Civic Center, hoping to make Cinco de Mayo a citywide celebration. But admission fees and corporate sponsorships alienated many in the Latino community, and attendance dwindled to just a few thousand people last year.
"It has gotten totally commercialized and associated with the beer industry," Roberto Hernandez said. "We decided to start small and go back to the roots where it all started, with children and parents and families."
The Mexican holiday commemorates the astonishing victory in the 1862 Battle of Puebla, in which poorly equipped and heavily outnumbered Mexican troops under General Ignacio Zaragoza defeated an invading force of 6,000 French soldiers sent by Napoleon III, whose army was considered the best in the world at the time.
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Americans Overwhelmingly Support Increase in State Alcohol Taxes; New Poll Shows Voters Want To Use Funds For Health-Related, Other Programs
U.S. Newswire, DC, May 4, 2004
A new national survey on alcohol taxes released today by the American Medical Association Office of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse reveals that 90 percent of Americans are concerned about teenage and underage drinking and that voters, by a margin of two to one, favor a tax increase on alcohol in their states to help fund prevention programs.
"Alcohol abuse costs Americans more than $148 billion each year in health care and social costs. Among the most vulnerable of these drinkers are teens. Research shows that alcohol use has a devastating effect on teens developing bodies and brains. Alcohol consumption by teens may cause permanent learning and memory loss," AMA President-Elect John C. Nelson, M.D., M.P.H., said.
"As with smoking, the price of alcohol matters, especially with teenagers," said Dr. Richard A. Yoast, director of the American Medical Association's Office of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse. "Just as price increases for tobacco reduce consumption and disease, higher alcohol prices are proven to reduce everything from violent crimes to rape."
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Tuesday, May 4, 2004
Risqué ads, risky business?
CNN Money, May 3, 2004
Ads containing sexual humor and flatulence jokes may be a dying breed. Well, at least for now.
Anheuser-Busch, known for its over-the-top humor and shocking TV advertisements, said last month that it will tone down commercials for its Budweiser and Bud Light beers.
During an advertising conference in Miami, Anheuser-Busch CEO August Busch IV told a group of ad agency executives that his company will reconsider using ads of questionable taste as a result of the Super Bowl incident and its aftermath, a spokesman for conference sponsor American Association of Advertising Agencies told CNN/Money.
Anheuser-Busch, a big spender on advertising time slots during Super Bowl telecasts, also said it has pulled two popular ads that were under heavy scrutiny -- one that featured a crotch-biting dog and the other that showed horse flatulence.
Several phone and e-mail requests to Anheuser-Busch were not answered immediately for a phone interview.
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Information on Alcohol Advertising and Youth
Alcohol Checks Yield Best Results Ever
Omaha Channel.com, NE, May 3, 2004
OMAHA, Neb. -- A weekend check of 273 businesses found the fewest number ever selling alcohol to minors.
Douglas and Sarpy counties conducted the weekend checks in concert with finals week for local universities. Just 9.5 percent of businesses sold alcohol to people under 21, which corresponds to the highest compliance rate recorded by Project Extra Mile, the group that runs the compliance checks.
Eight law enforcement agencies in the Omaha metro area and 19 young adults participated in the checks.
"The progress our community has experienced in reducing youth access to alcohol is tremendous and only possible because of the truly collaborative nature of the enforcement operations," said Diane Riibe, executive director of Project Extra Mile.
Results: 98 percent of the compliant businesses checked for identification and properly verified the young person's age. Of the locations found non-compliant, 42 percent of the businesses did not check for identification at all, while 58 percent checked the identification and sold to the minor anyway.
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Monday, May 3, 2004
Cinco de Mayo festival focuses on pride, not pitches
San Diego Union Tribune, CA, May 3, 2004
A mariachi band, piñatas and dancers - but not a drop of alcohol - marked a Cinco de Mayo parade and festival along the San Diego bay front yesterday. The Cinco de Mayo con Orgullo Coalition drew more than 400 participants to its signature event. It is aimed at creating a more dignified celebration con orgullo - "with pride."
Jovita Juarez, chairwoman of the event, said organizers wanted to reclaim Cinco de Mayo from "irresponsible advertisers" who saturate other events with beer and tequila pitches.
Cheng Yang, a Crawford High School freshman, said the "Piñatas with a Purpose" contained candy as well as information about under-age drinking in one of the day's many messages against alcohol.
Cinco de Mayo, the anniversary of the 1862 Battle of Puebla won by the Mexican Army against French invaders, is not widely recognized in Mexico. When the date became popularized as part of the Chicano-rights movement, Juarez said the alcohol industry immediately invented tie-ins and now pumps more than $37 million worth of advertising and other promotional activity into the day.
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