VICTORY!

BART does the Right Thing and Throws Alcohol Ads from the Train

Congratulations to all the Bay Area groups involved in convincing the BART Board of Directors to rethink its alcohol advertising policy!

On December 7, 2006, leaders from several Bay Area counties came out in full force to oppose alcohol ads on BART trains and stations. Petitioners offered heartfelt testimony and discussed the body of research on the relationship between advertising and youth drinking. Local youth spoke eloquently about BART’s responsibility to do the right thing by keeping ads off the train.

The overwhelming turnout and unmistakable research caused several Directors changed their original votes, resulting in a 7-2 reversal of the Board’s September decision. Perhaps BART Director Gail Murray said it best: ``There are plenty of places that advertise alcohol. I just don't think that public transit, funded by the public, should be one of them.''

Surprisingly, no one from the advertising company, CBS Outdoor, came to argue their case.They may not have wanted to respond to the blatant violation of their contract that Marin Institute brought to the Board's attention (see image below). To prove our point that the alcohol industry will bend the rules at every opportunity, the image shown here was presented at the meeting, in poster size.

Needless to say, we are looking forward to throwing alcohol ads off MUNI as well, and working with others around the country to do the same.