Menstuff® has compiled information and books on the issue of drinking. Almost 23% of 12 to 20 year olds participated in binge drinking at least once in the past month. Source: Substance Abuse And Mental Health Services Administration, 2004
Want a referral to substance abuse treatment 24/7/365 call
1-800-662-HELP. It's run by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health
Services Administration.
Start Talking Before They Start Drinking
Kids who drink before age 15 are 5 times more likely to have
alcohol problems when they're adults. To leaarn more, go to www.stopalcoholabuse.gov
or call 1.800.729.6686
1. 
2. 
1. My name is Emily, and in seven years I'll be an alcoholic. I'tt start drinking in eighth grade, and I'll do some things I don't really want to do. So by the time my parents talk to me about it, alcohol won't be my only problem.
2. My name is Tyler and in nine years I'll be an alcoholic. I'll
start drinking in middle school, just at parties. But my parents
won't start talking to me about it until high school. And by then,
I'll already be in some trouble. The thing is, my parents won't even
see it coming.
Also check out "How to Talk to Your Kids about Alcohol
& Drugs: www.menstuff.org/issues/byissue/talktoyourkids.html#alcohol
Are You an
Alcoholic?
Do I have a Drug or
Alcohol Problem?
'Drunkorexia' prevalent
among college students, study finds
Alcohol: Myths +
Truths
Self Assessment
Program for alcohol
problems
Many College Students Prefer Wi-Fi to
Beer, Study Claims
Coping
with an Alcoholic Parent
The
Breathalyzer's Booze-Pushing
Cousin
Characteristics
of Underage Drinking
Consequences
of underage drinking
Alcohol
advertising and promotion
Parental Party
Pledge
The
Dangers of Drinking and Driving
Leadership
to Keep Children Alcohol Free
Everclear Alcohol Incident at Drake
University May Lead to Ban in Iowa
Parents Who Host Lose the Most:
Sample
letter to the editor
(669 words)
Immediate License Suspensions for
DUI Called Effective
Young Men Most Likely to
Buy Alcohol for Underage Youth, Study Finds
Fight the Stigma of
Alcohol
Parental
Drinking Stunts Brain Growth in Alcoholic
Kids
The
Endorsement: Not Drinking
Students' definition
of binge drinking depends on
habits
Communication
may curb binge drinking
Ways Parents Can
Make A Difference
Talking
With Kids About Tough
Issues
Teen
Drinking
Binge
Drinking
Hazing
Budweiser
Formula Evolved to Encourage Greater
Consumption
Drunkeness
Triples College Kids' Auto Injury
Risk
"How
Many Drinks Did They Have?" Blood Alcohol Content
(BAC)
What
is an Alcohol Problem?
Skip the
whole milk. Pass on soda. Drink
beer?
Estimator
Chart
Drinking
Too Much
Drunk
Girls on MySpace
Alcohol
Memorials
Choices
Alcopops
Beer
Attend
a Town Hall Meeting on Underage Drinking Near
You
Expert Tips
on Avoiding -- or Treating -- Morning-After Head
Pain
Drunk
Driving Statistics & Facts
Newsbytes
Resources: Drugs & Alcohol Recovery
MYTH: Everyone drinks.
TRUTH: Not true. Although 31% of teens said they've drank
alcohol in the past month that still leaves 69% who did not! If you
choose not to drink, you're definitely not alone.
MYTH: Alcohol gives you energy.
TRUTH: This statement is false. Alcohol is a depressant, and
can actually make you sleepy. It slows down your motor skills which
control the way you think, speak, move and react.
MYTH: Beer before liquor, never been sicker - liquor before
beer, you're in the clear.
TRUTH: This is an old urban legend used to explain why people
get sick when they drink - but it's just not true. Your blood alcohol
content (also known as BAC, the percentage of alcohol in your blood)
is what determines how drunk you are. It doesn't matter what type of
alcohol you chose to consume - a drink is a drink, and too much of
any combination can make you sick.
MYTH: I can sober up quickly if I need to.
TRUTH: If you think that taking a shower, drinking 10 cups of
coffee or eating a loaf of bread will help you sober up - think
again. The only thing your body needs is time — depending on
your weight, it takes about three hours to eliminate every two drinks
you've had that night.
MYTH: Driving with someone who drank can be safe, because
they drive extra carefully so they don't get pulled over.
TRUTH: YIKES! Drinking and driving is extremely dangerous.
Each year, approximately 5,000 young people under the age of 21 die
as a result of underage drinking and about 1,900 of these deaths are
from motor vehicle crashes (NIAAA). In 2002, alcohol was involved in
41% of all fatal crashes (NIDA). A person might think he's in
control, but alcohol slows down reaction time which makes driving a
car one of the worst decisions one can make — even if you've had
only a little bit to drink.
MYTH: Everyone who gets drunk acts the same.
TRUTH: Nope. There are lots of factors that affect the body's
reactions to alcohol, including weight, age, gender, body chemistry,
genetics, amount of food and alcohol consumed — the list can go
on. The way one person reacts can be vastly different from how
another person reacts. You can't predict how alcohol will affect
you.
MYTH: Alcohol makes sex better.
TRUTH: Wrong again. Alcohol can make people feel less
uncomfortable in a social situation. But the reality is that alcohol
can actually keep guys from getting or keeping an erection, and it
can lower girls' sex drives, too. More importantly, alcohol can
affect your decision-making ability: You might put yourself in a
risky situation; you might think you're ready to have sex when you're
not or you might forget to use a condom — which can result in
pregnancy and/or contracting a sexually transmitted disease.
MYTH: If I drink too much, the worst thing that can happen
is I get my stomach pumped.
TRUTH: No way. If alcohol is drunk excessively, it can lead to
alcohol poisoning which can cause death. Also, drinking excessive
alcohol can cause vomiting. When drunk and unconscious, a person may
inhale fluids that have been vomited, resulting in death by
asphyxiation. Long-term, heavy use of alcohol can lead to addiction
(alcoholism), and can even cause a heart attack or stroke.
MYTH: Talk to me about drugs - that's a bigger issue than
alcohol.
TRUTH: Both drugs and alcohol are serious problems among
teens. Alcohol kills young people just like cocaine, heroin and other
serious illegal drugs. Also, according to recent studies, nearly
one-half (47%) of persons who began drinking before age 14 were
alcohol dependent at some point in their lifetime.
MYTH: Alcohol isn't harmful to my body.
TRUTH: Again, this statement is wrong. Large amounts of
alcohol can take its toll on your body, causing disturbed sleep,
nausea, and vomiting as well as a dreaded hangover. Heavy drinking
can inhibit the firing of nerve cells that control breathing, a
condition known as respiratory depression — a condition that can
be fatal.
MYTH: My friends will think I'm weird if I don't drink.
TRUTH: Friends are you friends no matter what - and they won't
give up your friendship over something as silly as a beer. Also, keep
in mind that most people are usually too focused on themselves to
care what others are — or aren't — doing.
MYTH: My parents drink - so what's the big deal if I
do?
TRUTH: Actually, it's scientifically proven to be a big deal.
According to new research by A. Thomas McLellan, Ph.D., teens who
drink and take drugs may be at greater risk than previously thought.
His research suggests that the brain is not fully formed until age
24. Using drugs and alcohol during this important time as your brain
develops might have negative long-term effects on brain functions
such as memory.
Sources: NIAAA, NESARC and www.thecoolspot.gov
and www.drugfree.org/Teen/alcohol_myths_truths.html
Self Assessment Program for alcohol
problems.
This program is designed for individuals aged 17 and above. The
online screening is completely anonymous. We do not collect any
unique identifying information such as name, email address or IP
address. Neither SMH nor the sponsoring organization can view your
individual results. For more information see the SMH privacy
policy.
Source: www.mentalhealthscreening.org/screening/welcome.asp
Many College Students Prefer Wi-Fi to Beer,
Study Claims
Conducted by Wakefield Research, the study found that 90-percent of college students characterize Wi-Fi access as indispensable to their education. Close to 60-percent of them claimed that the availability of free wireless would determine whether or not they would attend a certain school.
While these numbers are slightly surprising, one statistic is truly mind-boggling. According to this survey, a staggering 48-percent of students would sooner give up beer than give up Wi-Fi. Upon reading this figure, we were given no choice but to seriously doubt the integrity of this report; it was, after all, commissioned by an organization called the Wi-Fi Alliance.
But, what if the study is right? Could it possibly be that college students today are more intent on studying than partying? What are the youth of our country coming to?
Our fears were somewhat allayed, though, when we saw that over
half of these kids check MySpace and Facebook in class. That, at
least, will truly prepare them for the workforce.
Source: www.switched.com/2008/10/07/many-college-students-prefer-wi-fi-to-beer-study-claims/?icid=200100397x1210888595x1200661685
The Breathalyzer's Booze-Pushing
Cousin
Remember that contraption that promised to deliver alcohol's buzz without the carbs or hangover?
Well, they're flying off the shelves — and not necessarily because of sales. Legislators in North Carolina banned the machines last week, following the lead of several other states who already have closed up shop on Alcohol Without Liquid machines.
The Rev. Mark Creech fought for the law and said, "Imagine what would happen if users could fast track the mind-altering effects of alcohol and, at the same time, sidestep the hangover."
AWOL machines, available in the U.S. since 2004, make alcohol vanish into vapor, which you can then breath in, sending it into your blood through your lungs similar to how cigarettes deliver nicotine.
AWOL is approved and in use in Europe and Asia where health officials don't see any serious differences from regular drinking. Still, lawmakers and anti-booze advocates here are trying to keep the vaporizers out of American hands because of concerns about alcohol abuse.
The machine's American distributors tout two rather significant benefits: no carbs and no hangover.
The carbs bit makes sense since you use 80-proof liquors, which are low-carb even if you drink them. Remember, however, that alcohol, even in its purest form, contains significant calories.
And the evidence for booze vapors being free from drinking's
famous Sunday-morning punishment seems largely anecdotal.
Though I quit drinking fifteen years ago, I still enjoy the company of drinkers, and I still believe in the pleasures a bar can provide, particularly for the nondrinker. Secondhand smoke is deadly, but secondhand drinking is fun, and it's a lack of fun that often undoes the sobriety novice. Newly sober people need to redouble their efforts to find fun in each day. For instance, if I'd given up bars along with booze, I'd have been elsewhere the night a barfly tapped Bill's arm and asked, "Remember me?” "No—should I?” Bill said. "Yeah,” the guy said. "You should. You fucked my wife.”
Fun.
Not just any bar will do for the nondrinker. When you're as sober as a judge, you're more judgmental. I'm as picky about bars as I am about people, and I avoid certain ones for the same reasons—too loud, too sketchy, too smelly. Right after I stopped drinking, however, I frequented a loud, sketchy, smelly dive called Duffy's, because no one there noticed that I wasn't drinking. No one at Duffy's noticed anything but the glass directly before him. The bar was as dark as a sewer, two deep with zombies, and there was always a kung-fu movie blaring on the TV. My friend Joe and I would smoke cigars, stare at a runty guy we called Thalidomide Boy, and hurl trivia questions at a Napoleonic polymath dressed all in black whom we anointed World's Smartest Man, and soon it wasn't just the patrons who didn't notice I wasn't drinking. I stopped noticing.
I quit drinking when I wanted to, not when I had to, so bars don't tempt me or haunt me as they might someone else. They comfort me, and I know a few recovering alcoholics who feel likewise—including bartenders. Sam Malone was archetype, not aberration. No matter who you are, after you give up hangovers you still need hangouts, and isn't that the point of Alcoholics Anonymous? Doesn't the AA meeting look from afar like a barroom? Everyone sitting around, telling their story, amid billows of cigarette smoke. Add a kung-fu movie and you've got Duffy's.
There's an Edward Hopper painting: Corner Saloon. It's a gin mill
on a New York street, door thrown wide open, blurry figures in dark
coats rushing past. The grimy air, the bleak street, the wan despair
of it all chills you and makes you fix your gaze on that door. You
can't help but feel that on the other side lies something better,
something that might change your whole outlook, or at least make you
laugh. And I promise you, there is. Even if it's just Joe and World's
Smartest Man trying to name McGovern's running mate or the
surprisingly large number of Cy Young winners who've been arrested or
the parts of the human body that have three letters—eye, ear,
leg, et cetera. (There are ten in all, and if you can name them in
under an hour, you're a genius.)
Source: By J.R. Moehringer, www.esquire.com/features/articles/2006/060511_mfe_best_bars_not_drinking.html?par=msn_h|esq|emb|
Ways Parents Can Make A Difference
Things you can do as a parent:
Source: www.gdcada.org/coalitions/aloud/pardif.htm
NCAA Schools Urged to End Beer Ads on
Broadcasts
Students Pledge Month of Alcohol
Abstinence
They wore purple shirts printed with their pledge and the slogan, "Is there a problem?"
"We think it's pretty obvious that there is a problem," said Kim Landry, one of four students who organized the awareness event as part of a community service class.
The event also included a film about student and teacher perceptions of students' alcohol use. While survey results indicate that 41 percent of students at Waterville High School had used alcohol in the past month, most students overestimated their peers' alcohol use by 40 or 50 percent.
The Maine Youth Drug and Alcohol Use Survey, conducted by the Prevention Coalition of Greater Waterville Communities for Children and Youth in 2004, also indicated that 60 percent of students had used alcohol before, and nearly 16 percent had engaged in binge drinking in the past two weeks.
Nonetheless, Waterville's student alcohol use remains slightly below the statewide average.
Waterville Public School System's recently adopted substance use policy is less punitive than some, focusing on keeping students alcohol- and drug-free, but in school.
"Suspending kids does not help the substance abuse issue," said
Cyndi Desroisers, project director. "In fact, they end up causing
mroe damage in the community when they are suspended."
Source: www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/communitystories/2006/students-pledge-month-of.html
Source: www.ncadd.org/programs/awareness/alcfacts02.html
Communication may curb binge drinking
Students' definition of binge drinking
depends on habits
According to a report in the September issue of the Journal of American College Health, students who drink the most alcohol have a higher threshold for their definition of a drinking binge.
"Binge drinking is one more drink than what I have. That sums up the finding," Dr. Henry Wechsler, director of the College Alcohol Studies at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, Massachusetts, and the study's lead author, told Reuters Health.
For example, students who abstained from alcohol defined a binge as five drinks in a row for a man and four drinks in a row for a woman, while students who were moderate drinkers defined a binge as six drinks for a man and five for a woman.
One third of students who drank heavily said a binge was 10 or more drinks for a man, the report indicates.
Similarly, students' drinking habits shaped their perceptions of alcohol problems on campus. Most students who abstained or drank moderately said alcohol abuse was a problem on campus, but fewer of binge drinkers agreed.
Most students, however, had accurate perceptions of the rate of drinking on their campus. The median student definition of binge drinking was six drinks for a man and five drinks for a woman--just one higher than researchers' definition of five or more drinks in a row for men and four or more drinks for women, at least once in a 2-week period.
"This tells us that the research definition and the study estimate are close and students are able to differentiate by gender," Wechsler said. "It is very important for women to realize that they are affected more by alcohol than men (are). Trying to keep up may put women in a dangerous situation."
According to Wechsler and co-author Meichun Kuo, the data can be used to develop programs to lower the rate of binge drinking on college campuses. In the past, interventions have been based on the theory that students' drinking habits are shaped by how much they think other students are drinking. Further, researchers generally believe that students overestimate binge drinking rates, which leads them to drink more.
However, the current study found that only 29% of students overestimated the rate of binge drinking compared with 47% of students who underestimated the rate of binge drinking on their campus.
These results suggest that colleges should have a variety of programs that also target the supply, pricing and marketing of alcohol, Wechsler said.
"Most college campuses have 30 to 50 bars within a mile of campus. These bars are competing for students by lowering prices and offering specials," he explained.
Results of the study are based on data from more than 14,000
students attending 119 colleges in 40 states in 1999.
Source: www.healthcentral.com/News/NewsFullText.cfm?ID=40933&storytype=ReutersNews
Budweiser Formula Evolved to Encourage
Greater Consumption
Efforts to improve the "drinkability" of brands like Budweiser and Bud Light have centered on bitterness because research shows that a beer drinker's palate will become "fatigued" as they consume brews with a more bitter taste. Anheuser-Busch tests the drinkability of its beers by giving free, unlimited beer to test subjects at bars, then driving them home.
Company chairman August Busch III defines the essence of drinkability as, "'I want the next beer!'"
"You stop drinking because you know it's time to stop but you don't want to: That's drinkability," he said.
Busch tests his product daily to ensure that the drinkability standard is being met. "We've been tasting these beers for 50 years," he said. "If we can't sit down and drink three or four of them, then it's not right."
American brewers also have gradually reduced the amount of hops used in lagers to increase their "Everyman" appeal. Recently, however, brewers like Anheuser-Busch have been losing market share to fuller-bodied import and "craft" beers. Miller, whose beers have a somewhat stronger flavor than Budweiser, hammered its rival with commercials where panicked drinkers screamed, "I can't taste my beer!"
Anheuser-Busch recently increased the hops content of its flagship brands to make them stronger. "I told the growers of our desire to use more hops in our brewing for the purpose of delivering more amplitude and hop flavor in Budweiser," said Busch. The company also has been introducing its own specialty brews.
"I think you're seeing an increased consumer acceptance that bitter is a positive characteristic in beer," said Keith Lemke, vice president of the Siebel Institute of Technology, a brewing education center.
"Almost every brewer is constantly changing their beer," said
Henry von Eichel, president and CEO of hops producer John I. Haas
Inc. "But no one likes to talk about it."
Source: www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2006/budweiser-formula-evolved-to.html
to give families and friends a special place to remember loved ones
lost to drugs and alcohol. Our new site (which is not final and in a
testing phase) allows visitors to share their story along with photos
and memories and offers a reflecting-pool design, easy-to-use forms,
and a tool for friends and family to leave tribute messages. Please
tell others about this new site so we can reach as many kids and
parents as possible.Urge the NBA to Ban Courtside Liquor Ads
In a letter to NBA Commissioner David J. Stern, CSPI and dozens of other groups, including the American Society of Addiction Medicine, Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA), and the Society for Adolescent Medicine, urged the NBA to reconsider its decision and ban all alcohol advertising, including beer, during its telecasts. Allowing liquor advertising is a break with a long-standing ban and part of an ominous trend toward expanding the advertising of all alcoholic beverages during programs that attract young and underage viewers.
"The NBA congratulates itself on its youth-outreach and community programs, yet it is poised to increase its profits by exposing young fans to more ads for rum, whiskey, vokda, and of course, beer," said Tracy Downs, manager of CSPI's Campaign for Alcohol-Free Sports TV. "Granted, the league has some hefty salaries, but is that really a sufficient excuse to encourage young people to start drinking liquor earlier?"
With its Jr. NBA and Jr. WNBA programs, the NBA has a strong relationship with young fans through summer camps, tournaments, skill clinics, and other activities. Promoting alcohol consumption during telecasts also contradicts the NBA's public relations and community-building activities, specifically the NBA CARES program, which addresses social issues in the United States and worldwide.
Alcohol plays a significant role in the four leading causes of death among peoples ages 10 to 24, including motor-vehicle crashes, unintentional injuries, homicide, and suicide. Studies link teens' exposure to alcohol advertising with more frequent and heavier drinking. Alcohol use by young people may cause long-term harm to their developing brains.
CSPI's Campaign for Alcohol-Free Sports TV seeks to reduce youth exposure to alcohol advertising on televised college sports. Since 2005, 372 -- more than one-third -- NCAA-member colleges and 16 college athletic conferences have signed the campaign's pledge to help eliminate alcohol advertisements from college sports telecasts.
Source: www.jointogether.org/getinvolved/actionalerts/urge-the-nba-to-ban-courtside.html
Is a Nickel a Drink the Change We Need?
The last beer tax increase in some states with budget deficits date as far back as the 1960s! Look up your state's budget shortfall and see how much money could be raised with a nickel a drink tax increase.
Should higher alcohol taxes be used to provide critical support to state programs that reduce alcohol-related problems?
Marin Institute invites you to add your comments to our blog.
Alcohol Industry Making the Move to Online
Advertising
After Bud TV, Anheuser-Busch's original "web channel," failed to
deliver the hoped-for number of viewers, the King of Beers' marketing
team has been piloting commercials elsewhere on the web -- such as on
YouTube, style.com and askmen.com. The company has spent $8.9 million
on internet advertising in the first nine months of 2007, more than
double for the same period in 2006. But it doesn't stop there; A-B
says it plans to boost its spending on ads and video designed to
proliferate on numerous websites by 50 percent next year. Click
here to read the rest of the article.
Many Kids Sip Alcohol Before Age 10, Study
Finds
Most of the children said they had only tasted alcohol, not
consumed an entire drink. But about one-third of parents whose
children reported alcohol use had no idea they had done so. Click
here to read the rest of the article.
College Drinking Games Lead to Higher
Blood Alcohol Levels
Previous studies of college drinking have relied largely on
individual behavior and self-reports of drinking habits. Researchers
at San Diego State University and the University of Michigan have
determined that environment and party activities also affect drinking
behavior. Click
here to read the rest of the article.
The study was published in the January issue of Alcoholism: Clinical
& Experimental Research.
To learn more about alcohol abuse, visit the National
Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.
Schedule Friday Morning Classes to Cut
Students Drinking, Colleges Urged
Colleges should schedule early morning classes on Fridays to discourage students from starting their weekend partying on Thursday nights, researchers advise.
HealthDay
News
reported June 27 that researchers found "significant relationships
between the presence and timing of Friday classes and Thursday
drinking" when surveying 3,341 students at a large Midwestern
university.
"About half of the students with late or no Friday classes consumed at least one drink on Thursday, but only a third of students did so if they had Friday classes which met at 10 a.m. or earlier," said lead study author Phillip K. Wood of the University of Missouri at Columbia. "Approximately two-thirds of students who consumed some alcohol Thursday consumed a 'binge amount' if they had late or no Friday classes.
"The Friday-class effect was more pronounced for populations which we know to be at risk for higher levels of alcohol consumption: men, and members of or frequent participants in Greek activities," Wood added. "We also found strong evidence that Thursday, in addition to Friday and Saturday, is associated with high prevalence and levels of alcohol consumption across all four years of college."
The study appears in the July 2007 issue of the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research.
Reference:
Wood, P.K., Sher, K.J., Rutledge, P.C. (2007) College Student
Alcohol Consumption, Day of the Week, and Class Schedule. Alcoholism:
Clinical and Experimental Research, 31(7): 1195-1207; doi:
10.1111/j.1530-0277.2007.00402.x
Source: www.jointogether.org/news/research/summaries/2007/schedule-friday-morning.html
Powdered Alcohol Marketed to Youth
Adults Who Give Alcohol to Kids
Could Lose Licenses
A House committee heard testimony from the family of Steven George, a Raleigh youth who was killed in a drunk-driving crash. George's parents said that the risk of losing driving privileges would be more of a deterrent to young adults providing alcohol to underage friends than community service, the current penalty for the infraction.
"What really affects a lot of these younger people most? It's their driving privileges," said Steven George. "Start handing out (penalties) that hurt the most. Driving is a very big part of their lives."
But Rep. Bill Daughtridge felt that the proposal was a bit
attenuated. "I think we're going off on a tangent here, taking away a
driver's license from someone who may or may not be getting in a
car," he said.
Source: www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2007/adults-who-give-alcohol-to.html
Editor's Note: While the release seems to be directed at
youth people providing alcohol for young people, we hope the statute
includes any adult, and especially parents, who illegally provide
alcohol for anyone under 21.
Sticky Solution Sought for Underage
Drinking
The notes, available free at the state's Parents Empowered website, are printed with the message, "At your age, drinking is dangerous. So are really angry parents." The stickers also can be affixed to liquor cabinets or refrigerators.
A different set of sticky notes are available at Utah state liquor stores, with no-drinking pledges intended to be signed by youths before they go out with friends.
"Research shows that parental disapproval is the No. 1 reason that
underage children choose not to drink," said Utah Alcoholic Beverage
Commission chairman Larry V. Lunt. "But it is not good enough for
parents simply to tell youngsters, 'Do not drink.' The possibility of
permanent damage is too great."
Source: www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2007/sticky-solution-sought-for.html
Area Police Chiefs and Dallas Mayor
Laura Miller Announce A New Law Enforcement Campaign Targeting
Individuals Furnishing Alcohol To Minors
According to the Alcoholic Beverage Code (§106.06), a person commits an offense if they purchase an alcoholic beverage for, or gives, or with criminal negligence makes available an alcoholic beverage to a minor. An offense under this provision is a Class A Misdemeanor, and individuals adjudged guilty can be punishable by a fine up to $4000; confinement in jail for a term up to one year, or; both such fine and confinement.
A press conference will be held on Wednesday, April 3, 2002, at Dallas City Hall Plaza, detailing the new initiative. Attending will be Dallas Mayor Laura Miller, Dallas County District Attorney Bill Hill, the Administrator for the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission Rolando Garza, and several North Texas Area Police Chiefs.
Local police departments are working in partnership with ALOUD to launch a public awareness campaign in an attempt to reduce venues that serve alcoholic beverages to underage persons. Increased criminal penalties will be filed where clear evidence is found that adults and/or teens have furnished alcohol to minors.
“We hope to reduce the overall numbers of underage drinkers by placing more criminal responsibility on those who host the parties. Additionally we want to emphasize that teens can be charged with providing alcohol to other teens. Up until now, area law enforcement officers have been writing tickets (Class C Misdemeanor) for possession of alcohol or consumption of alcohol. Little has been done to address those who host the party to begin with,” says campaign spokesman Chief Darrell L. Fant of the Highland Park Department of Public Safety.
The campaign provides information about Texas laws and publicizes an anonymous toll-free number, 1-888-843-8222, which can be used to report violations of Texas’ underage drinking laws, including the provision of furnishing alcohol to minors.
“Too often parents look the other way when it comes to teen drinking, assuming it is a ‘rite of passage’. It is not unusual for well meaning parents to provide alcohol to their teen’s friends at home parties. We want to educate parents that providing alcohol to teens other than their own children is illegal and irresponsible,” says ALOUD Chairperson, Janet Harrison.
This enforcement campaign will commence as teens begin this
year’s spring break, proms and graduations, which have
traditionally been occasions where underage drinking occurs the
most.
Source: www.gdcada.org/coalitions/aloud/release.htm
Ghostly Event Teaches Impact of Drunk
Driving
Screening for
Unhealthy Alcohol Use: Questionnaire Is Best
Collaborative
Launches Online Search for Workplace Alcohol Screening
Liquor Company Objects to Racing
Sponsorship
N.C. County Establishes Teen Drinking
Hotline
More Communities Target Parents Who Allow
Underage Drinking
"The word is out that if you are going to have a home party you are going to get a citation if it's an underage-drinking party," said Dan Hicks of the Ventura County (Calif.) Behavioral Health Department. The county recently passed a civil-host liability law that hits parents with fines of up to $1,000 for knowingly hosting youth drinking parties. In Long Beach, N.Y., the city council recently made it a crime for adults to serve alcohol to underage drinkers, with penalties including fines of $250 and up to 15 days in jail.
Supporters of the laws acknowledge that enforcement is difficult, so they're hoping that publicizing the penalties will serve as a deterrent. "You want them to be thinking before the party's planned, before things start happening," Hicks said.
Most of the laws have been passed on the local, rather than state,
level. "Those are where the action is lately, because communities
realize they need to tailor these laws to local concerns," said Stacy
Seatta of the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, which
studies youth drinking.
Source: www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2006/more-communities-target.html
Mass. Launches New Recovery High
School
Mixer-Nixers: Top 10 Drinking
Dangers
Web Surveys May Be Reliable in Estimating
Secondary Effects of Substance Use in College Population
Web surveys can effectively collect data on consequences associated
with substance use by college students, according to a study of
students attending a large Midwestern public university in 2001.
Source: www.jointogether.org/news/research/summaries/2006/web-surveys-may-be-reliable.html
Try exploring www.girlsanddrinking.org with your daughter, and
start getting real honest about drinking. When girls and adults share
the truth on why and how they drink, girls get great guidance for
better choices.
Source: Daughters, May/June, 2006
Tell the FTC to Get Tough on Alcohol
Marketing
'Thoughtful' Beer Ads from
Miller?
FASD May Cause Sleep Disruptions, Study
Says
Budweiser Formula Evolved to Encourage Greater
Consumption
Murder Doesn't Deter Young Women from
Partying
Fact Sheet: Beer Consumption and
Taxes
N.J. Parents Advocate for Nickel Tax
Increase to Fund Treatment
Members of the group -- many of whom have lost children to drug overdoses -- came to Rowan University for a Corzine budget speech. They presented Corzine with one of the glass jugs that they are using to collect nickels as part of the campaign.
The proposed tax increase could raise $10 million for treatment, they said, roughly doubling current state spending.
"I'm tired of burying people we should be treating," says Joni Whelan, CEO of the SODAT (Services to Overcome Drug Abuse Among Teenagers) treatment program.
So far, the Just a Nickel campaign has not attracted any
legislative support. But the P2P members continue to collect their
nickels -- which they say will be used to fund treatment until the
state takes action.
Source: www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2006/nj-parents-advocate-for.html
This drunk driving jerk was dressed to kill
Resource:
Center for Science in the Public Interest: Alcohol Policies
Project
1875 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 300
Washington, DC 20009-5728
Phone: 202.332.9110
Website: www.cspinet.org/booze
Everclear Alcohol
Incident at Drake University May Lead to Ban in Iowa
Nathan Erickson, a freshman pledge of Drake University's Phi Delta Theta fraternity, spent the evening of Nov. 7, 2009, drinking 151-proof Everclear at an unofficial frat house referred to as "The Carter." Early Sunday he was found passed out on the couch by Alexander Timm, a Phi Delta Theta resident, who was returning home from a night of bartending.
Erickson was taken to a Des Moines, Iowa, hospital where he made a full recovery, and was back in class a week later. Erickson's lawyer told me that though Erickson was not punished by Drake or charged with any crime, he now hopes to "put his head down, get back into his studies and be a normal student."
Usually, underage drinking violations are dealt with in a low-key manner by campus security at private colleges such as Drake. Students found to be in violation of alcohol laws might be given a paper to write and a meeting with the dean of students. But the events of this particular weekend of college partying have led to a state-wide discussion on what needs to be done to control underage binge-drinking, and specifically, whether Everclear should be made illegal in Iowa.
Since Erickson was still a pledge of the fraternity, the event was considered hazing. Soon after the incident, three Phi Delta Theta members were suspended, two were arrested and charged with serious misdemeanors, and the entire Drake chapter was suspended for four years. Now, further measures are being taken in an effort to crack down on the problem.
Everclear was made illegal in Iowa in its 190-proof form a few months ago, but is still readily available in its 151-proof form. The state is considering taking it off the shelf in all forms because so many young Iowans have had close calls with it. Iowa's Alcoholic Beverages Division Administrator Lynn Walding told me that many have been voicing opinions that there is no legitimate purpose for the beverage and that it is too difficult to consume responsibly. One unit of Everclear is comparable to drinking 14 beers.
"The danger is how quickly that can elevate someone to a state of intoxication," said Walding. "Someone who doesn't have experience with alcohol can quickly find themselves in a dangerous situation. If you drink half a bottle of Everclear, that can be lethal. What we are seeing, and what we have heard of, are young people, often underage, who don't have that familiarity with alcohol to know any better." Although many Iowans are adamant supporters of a ban, public opinion has been leaning two-to-one in favor of personal responsibility.
Those against the ban believe that consumers will just make the drive out of state to purchase the product. Some say it should not be made illegal because while it's sold as a drink ingredient, with a price of around $15, it offers a cheap alternative to sterilization materials for laboratories. One unidentified person commented to the Iowa ABD that being able to buy undenatured alcohol from local liquor stores is more convenient and cheaper than going to scientific supply houses, where the cost can be three to 10 times higher. Still others think it should not be banned because when mixed with other non-alcoholic beverages, it can provide for a one-of-a-kind taste.
I contacted Luxco, the maker of Everclear, and asked if a ban could mean cutbacks in their Iowa offices. The state manager declined to comment , other than to say that Luxco would send a representative to a public forum scheduled for Jan. 26 at Drake University, during which a commission from the IABD will discuss its thoughts.
Though the IABD will make the final decision as to the future of
Everclear, the commission is also taking suggestions from the public
at the Iowa ABD Web site. Walding said that IABD members would be in
touch with other states for advice about the potential ban as well,
just as they spoke with Vermont administrators about their ban on
190-proof Everclear before enacting similar measures.
Source: www.politicsdaily.com/2010/01/08/everclear-alcohol-incident-at-drake-university-may-lead-to-ban-i/?icid=main|htmlws-sb-n|dl1|link4|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.politicsdaily.com%2F2010%2F01%2F08%2Feverclear-alcohol-incident-at-drake-university-may-lead-to-ban-i%2F
We drink to one another's health and spoil our own. - Jerome K. Jerome
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