Google adds liquor to advertising lineup

Last week Google announced that it would be changing its advertising policy to include hard alcohol and liquor for the first time. Beer and wine advertisements have been allowed since earlier this year, and those products are allowed to advertise sales.

There are limitations to the policy: advertisements are not allowed to directly sell alcohol, only to advertise the product. In addition, Google has promised that alcohol ads will be given a “Non-Family Safe” status—which means that as long as parental controls or a safe search filter are in place, kids shouldn’t be exposed to this advertising.

However, Google is taking a somewhat hands-off approach to this new policy. Advertisers are responsible for making sure that their ads comply with local and national laws, so it looks like Google won’t take responsibility for compliance. Google also recommends, but does not require, that alcohol advertisers follow their alcohol advertising principles. Those guidelines say that ads should:

• Always be directed to an adult audience, and never targeted to those under the age of majority in the country where the ad is shown.
• Not be placed or run in venues where more than 50% of the audience is below the age of majority (higher percentages apply in certain countries).
• Only show models and actors who are, and appear to be, over 25 years old.
• Not contain any curative or therapeutic claims except as permitted by law.
• Not contain claims or representations that individuals can attain social, professional, educational, romantic, sexual, or athletic success as a result of alcohol consumption.
• Only promote responsible drinking, and not promote excessive drinking or the intoxicating effects of alcohol consumption.

We applaud Google’s intentions but think that they should reconsider the effects of making these ads viewable by users of the #1 search engine in the US, and the potential negative effects of leaving legal compliance up to the advertisers.

(via mashable)

News Roundup

It’s been a busy couple of weeks in underage drinking prevention news, with several positive steps and a few teaching moments. Here’s a summary of recent news articles:

“Alcoholic Energy Drink to Drop Caffeine.” Edward D. Murphy, Portland Press Herald. December 19, 2008

"Dispatch: Bar loses liquor license after serving to minors.” Portland Press Herald. December 16, 2008.

“Parents of teens turn blind eye.” Seacoast Online, December 10, 2008.

"Maine's Attorney General Steven Rowe wants you to know that taking away the keys is not enough." Youth Empowerment Policy Project, December 10, 2008.

“Portland pub may lose liquor license.” David Hench, Portland Press Herald. November 28, 2008.

“Sex offender accused of buying booze for teen.” David Hench, Portland Press Herald. November 24, 2008.

Tip of the Month: Holiday Hints

Are you hosting a party this holiday season?

Here are a couple of ways you can help keep your kids safe and healthy throughout your celebrations:

• Keep track of your alcohol; know how much you have
• Offer plenty of appealing non-alcoholic options
• Be aware of telling drinking stories around youth—laughing about drinking can make alcohol seem necessary to have fun
• Remember: You're a role model for youth—your messages matter!

Youth activity! Ask youth to think about the ways the alcohol industry uses holiday-themed marketing to send unhealthy messages linking alcohol and good times.

“Free the Bowl” anti-beer ad contest for youth

The Marin Institute is offering prizes (including a MacBook and iPods) for youth age 13-20 who create ads for their Free the Bowl contest:

"Year after year, Anheuser-Busch and the National Football League hide behind weak, ineffectual Beer Institute self-regulatory guidelines to justify exposing youth to exploitive alcohol ads," said Michael Scippa, advocacy director at the Marin Institute. "Big Alcohol turns a deaf ear to our protests, so we want them to listen to compelling messages from young people who resent being targeted as new customers."

Anheuser-Busch is expected to spend up to $19 million on ads during the 2009 Super Bowl.

Deadline for contest entries is Jan. 25. The winner will be announced on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 1. Ads created for the contest will be posted to YouTube. For more details, see www.freethebowl.com.(via Join Together)

According to the Marin Institute, 30 million youth viewed advertising during the 2008 Superbowl--more ads for beer than anything else. Research shows that the more alcohol advertising teens see the more likely they are to drink, and drink to excess. This contest will give beer companies the message that this exploitation of youth must stop.

Opportunities, Missed

A study just out from the Journal of Adolescent Health suggests that most physicians aren’t discussing substance use with their adolescent patients. According to the study, which looked at 2,192 adolescents 12 to 17 years old who had received a physical exam within the last six months, adolescents were not asked about substance use about 70% of the time.

“The guidelines say that adolescents should have an annual visit that provides screening and guidance about high-risk health behaviors,” said lead study author Sally Adams, R.N., Ph.D. “If teens can get preventive care to avoid risky behavior, it may impact their health not only in adolescence, but also throughout their lifetime.”

(via Health Behavior News Service)

Physicians are in an excellent position to provide screening and early intervention—the best ways to avoid development of more serious problems—for their patients’ risky behaviors, making this a critical piece of any community prevention plan.

This research is especially timely for what’s going on here in Maine: the Maine Office of Substance Abuse has developed a tool to help healthcare providers address substance use in their young patients. As a complement to the OSA campaign here in Cumberland County, 21 Reasons is also developing some materials and trainings for use by pediatricians, with a tentative release date in Spring 2009.

Teens Recommend Environmental Strategies

The Sun Chronicle in Attleboro, MA is reporting that teens recommend environmental strategies to help them not drink:

When asked what parents could do to prevent them from drinking and other risky behavior, teens said parents could limit their child's participation in overnight parties, wait up for a teen to return from a date or party and call parents of the party's host in advance to make sure it will be well-supervised. Oddly enough, teens also said parents could help by establishing rules and consequences for breaking them, coupled with punishment, if needed.

The article also encourages parents to avoid the "myth of inevitability"—assuming that they’re not going to be able to stop their kids from drinking.

The 21 Reasons website offers resources on both Myths & Realities of underage drinking, and has suggestions for what parents and community members can do to prevent it. Click on the links below for access to these documents

Myths vs. Realities (.pdf)

So What Can I Do? (.pdf)

"I shouldn't have done it because I was not sober"

One of the many risks for underage drinking is unintended sexual contact.


Several young people described this experience during a recent Real Life. Real Talk. event.

Click on the logo below to see the clip from the "It's okay. You can say it." campaign, in which community members were invited to talk about what they wished someone had told them about sex:

Tip of the Month: November Mythbuster

• Did you know?
  MYTH: “It’s better for kids to start drinking young so they can learn how to handle it.”
  REALITY: The adolescent brain is still developing—especially the part of the brain that deals with decision making. This places kids at a higher risk for academic failure, depression, suicide, sexual assault, teen pregnancy, sexually transmitted infection, and other substance abuse. Younger drinkers are also more likely to develop alcohol dependence.
  
  
  
• Do you have a minute this month? When your teen is going out for the evening, take a minute to remind them about your family’s rules and consequences of underage drinking.
  
  
  
• Want to learn more? Visit our website at www.21reasons.org

UMaine Greek Students Participating in Alcohol-Free Week

This week (October 19-25) University of Maine students are participating in an alcohol-free week hosted by the Greek Peer Educators Program. The point of the week—which falls during homecoming this year-- is to encourage students to spend a week alcohol-free. "This is offering you an opportunity to figure out what kind of role alcohol plays in your life," says Greek Peer Education Founder and Director Sarah Caron.

In the past, participation has been between 1,000 and 3,000 students; this year’s goal is for participation by 2,008 students.

The University of Maine student paper covers the event in depth.

While college drinking is a serious national problem, it’s good to keep in mind that many college students don’t drink at all. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, nearly 40% of 18-24 year olds reported no alcohol use in the past month, and only 14.9% reported heavy alcohol use.

Maine’s Higher Education Alcohol Prevention Partnership has some great resources on preventing and reducing campus alcohol use available on their website.

Study Suggests "At-Risk" Teens Aren't The Only Ones At Risk for Alcohol Problems

A new study out from the University of California, Irvine suggests that substance abuse programs geared towards at-risk youth are missing almost half of their audience. Efforts to reduce or delay early substance exposure should not be restricted to at-risk adolescents, researchers say—all adolescents exposed to alcohol suffered :

“Specifically, we asked whether there is evidence that early exposure to illicit substances is a causal factor in adolescents’ future lives (“are drugs bad for kids?”), or whether adolescents with a developmental history of conduct problems are simply more likely than other adolescents to be exposed to alcohol and illicit substances and to experience poor adult outcomes (“do bad kids do drugs?”)…

“Results support the policy position that early substance exposure poses independent risks for adolescents’ future lives; these risks extend beyond the development of later substance dependence, to include risks for herpes infection, early pregnancy, and crime. With respect to prevention, it is important to note that in our study, 50% of the adolescents exposed to substances before age 15 did not have a prior history of conduct problems, yet they experienced many of the same ill consequences as their peers who are already at risk.”

Here's a link to the full study, published in the October Edition of Psychological Science.

(via The Daily Pilot)

Fall 2008 Newsletter

We're excited to announce the release of our Fall 2008 newsletter! The newsletter features City Council candidates' responses to a questionnaire on youth accesss to alcohol, as well as program updates and news.

Click here to view the newsletter; click here to subscribe to future editions.

Tip of the Month: October Mythbuster

• Did you know?
  MYTH: “It’s okay as long as they don’t drive. Most teen alcohol-related deaths are from drinking and driving.”
  REALITY: Only one-third of underage drinking deaths involve auto crashes. The remaining two-thirds involve alcohol poisoning, homicides, suicides, and unintentional injuries such as burns, drowning and falls.


• Do you have a minute this month? Thank store clerks when you see them card someone who is buying alcohol.


• Want to learn more? Visit our website at http://www.21reasons.org/

Enforcement Works!

The Portland Press Herald reports that over the weekend, the South Portland Police Department used an under-21 volunteer to try to purchase alcohol at 27 locations--and the volunteer failed at 26 of the locations.

This is in contrast to a similar operation in March, in which the under-21 volunteer was successful at 14 establishments.

Research shows teens are four times less likely to drink if they think they are going to be caught by police, making law enforcement a crucial stakeholder in preventing underage drinking in our communities. Compliance checks are just one example of the many initiatives our local police departments are taking on to address this issue--including underage drinking party patrols, with a focus on enforcing furnishing and hosting laws.

Thank you to the South Portland Police Department for taking youth access to alcohol seriously, and to the store owners for providing training and support to their staff.

The full Press Herald article is available online: "SoPo Police Hold Weekend Alcohol Operation"

MillerCoors puts Sparks Red on Hold

Last week, after being sued by the Center for Science in the Pubic Interst and receiving a letter of complaint by over 25 Attorney's General, including Maine's own AG Steven Rowe, MillerCoors bowed to pressure and put their plans to launch their new Sparks Red on hold.

These highly caffeinated alcoholic energy drinks mask the effects of intoxication, thus leading consumers to believe they are capable of driving or other tasks that are risky while intoxicated. In addition, since the effects are less noticeable, consumers are likely to drink more. As if this were not enough of a danger, these beverages are marketed towards youth. Sparks Red, at 8% alcohol, contains twice the alcohol as typical beer.

We applaud MillerCoors for postponing the introduction of this product, however, postponing is not enough. We urge MillerCoors to follow Anheuser Busch's lead in pulling this dangerously irresponsible beverage line off the market altogether. In June of this year, after an investigation by Maine's AG, and other states, concluded A-B's engergy drinks were being marketed illegally to young people.

For more information about alcoholic energy drinks, why they are a problem, and what we can do to stop them, visit:
http://www.marininstitute.org/site/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=7&Itemid=28

Source of alcohol for many youth? Adults.

New national research shows that adults are contributing to the problem of underage drinking—by supplying alcohol to youth. In fact, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) estimates that 40 percent of underage drinkers receive free alcohol from adults over 21. They also note that one in 16 underage drinkers (650,000 youth) was given alcoholic beverages by their parents in the past month. Check out the research summary, and link to the full report, here: http://www.samhsa.gov/newsroom/advisories/0806250013.aspx.

These statistics are highly relevant to our local communities. We know, for example, that 52% of 6th-12th graders in Cumberland County think that alcohol is easy to access. We also know that youth who think it is easy to get alcohol are four times more likely to drink than youth who think it is hard to get (2006 MYDAUS).

It is important for adults to understand that furnishing alcohol to minors who are not their own children not only hinders substance abuse prevention efforts, but is against the law. Under the State of Maine, Title 28-A, Section 2081, the court may impose fines up to $2,000 and jail time up to 1 year to anyone who furnishes, gives, sells or delivers liquor to a minor. Similar penalties apply to anyone who furnishes a place for minors to consume alcohol (Title 28-A, Section 2081).

There are many things you can do as a parent to ensure your children and their friends do not have access to alcohol:

· Refuse to supply alcohol to anyone under 21.
· Be at home when your teen has a party.
· Talk to other parents about not providing alcohol at events your child will be attending.
· Report underage drinking to your local law enforcement.

Safe Summer Parties

It doesn’t get much better than summertime in Maine. But with summer comes many more opportunities for teens to enjoy their free time by planning parties with their friends. So if you’re an adult hosting a party for your teen, or if your teen is planning a party for themselves, make it a great party by:

Planning for everything…

• Decide on a guest list. Give your teen a maximum number to invite and set an age limit for guests.
• Send invitations! Have your teen inform his/her guest that the party is by invitation only.
• Set a party time, inclusive of a start and end time.

Contacting parents ahead of time…

• Inform parents/guardians about the party and explain your expectations of partygoers. No Alcohol!
• Have parents or responsible adults drop-off and pickup teens. If teens drive to the party, plan to hold all keys to eliminate the temptation of leaving and returning to the party.

Keeping a watchful eye…

• Stay at the party. Your presence is important. Walk through the party area frequently. Have additional adult supervision onsite during the party.
• If you suspect a teen guest is intoxicated, contact his or her parents/guardians immediately.

Establishing rules ahead of time…

• No drugs, alcohol or smoking.
• Party area should have ample lighting for the time of the day; keep lights on throughout the party.
• Make some rooms in your home off-limits to guests; insist on partygoers staying in designated party areas.
• Avoid serving punch or soft drinks in cups. Serve a variety of drinks in cans or bottles.
• Do not allow teens to bring outside drinks, cups or open bottles into the party.
• Guests should not leave the house and return without permission and adult supervision.
• Avoid combining adult and youth parties. Remember: adults are role models. Teens will get the message that alcohol is not the “life of a party” when no alcohol is present at the party.
  

(Visit the Parental Guide to Hosting Responsible Teen Parties-Virginia Department of ABC Education Section for more ideas:
http://www.abc.state.va.us/Education/resources/ParentsGuide.pdf)

Bar Dispersal Ordinance

Requiring adequate distance between bars is essential not only to protect public safety, but also to maintain a healthy economy and quality of life. A solid base of research suggests that as alcohol outlet density goes up in a community, so do crime, violence, and motor vehicle crashes.

The Portland Police Department, the Portland Downtown District, and the Night Life Oversight Committee all agree that 100 feet is the minimum space required to prevent problems with overcrowding of bars. If it were up to 21 Reasons, there would be even more breathing room between bars-–at least 200 feet.

We need to be intentional about the future development of our downtown district. We need to promote diversification, so that we have a healthy mix of retail, restaurants, bars, and residences. Just as we have set-back requirements for new construction, we need to have "set-back" requirements for new bars going into this zone. We all want our downtown entertainment district to grow as a destination that is exciting, vibrant, and safe. Please help that to happen by maintaining a 100 foot buffer zone between bars.

Furthermore, we need to respect the process and previous efforts of our civic leaders. This issue has been studied, discussed, and decided upon only one year ago. There have been no significant environmental or cultural factors which warrant a revisit to all the hard work and thoughtful consideration that went into the 100' bar dispersal ordinance. To bring this up again so soon afterwards is disrespectful to our civic leaders and the process by which they adopted the ordinance.

Monitoring Tips

Here are five things you can start right now to prevent alcohol from getting into the hands of someone underage:

1.) Limit Access. Keep track of your alcohol. Sneaking booze from your liquor cabinet or the refridgerator is a common source for those too young to legally purchase alcohol.

2.) Network. Get to know your teen's friends. Better yet, get to know their parents or guardians as well.

3.) Reinforce and Enforce. Set clear rules and expectations, and follow them consistantly.

4.) Check in often. Have them use a landline when they call so that you can tell where they are actually are when they call.

5.) Be up and ready. Give them a hug when they come home. If you have to, set the alarm just before curfew.

For more information on more things you can do to keep your teen drug and alcohol free, log onto http://www.21reasons.org/forparents.html

Myths vs Reality of Underage Drinking

Myth:
Allowing teenage parties in your home keeps your teen and their friends safe by not allowing them to drive.
Reality:
Only one-third of underage drinking deaths involve auto crashes. The remaining two-thirds involve alcohol poisoning, homicides, suicides, and unintentional injuries such as burns, drowning and falls. Taking away the car keys doesn't make underage drinking safe.

Myth:
In Europe, youth drink more responsibly than in the U.S.
Reality:
According to data collected from 15- and 16-year-olds in 35 European countries, European kids actually drink more often, drink more heavily and get drunk more often than American teens. Only in Turkey are teen drinking rates lower than in the U.S.

Myth:

If we changed the minimun drinking age back to 18 instead of 21, it would reduce problems with underage drinking.
Reality:
Researchers consider the 21 minimum drinking age one of the most successful public safety & public health policies in U.S. history. Since the minimum drinking age was changed to 21 in 1984, deaths from drinking and driving accidents have decreased by thousands, saving an estimated 20,000 lives.

In addition, youth are still developing both physically and mentally until around 25 years of age. Much is now known about the affects of alcohol on the developing brain, such as how alcohol can limit future potential and that youth are more susceptible to acohol abuse. Youth also think differently. We now know the portion of the brain that controls impulse and reasoning is one of the last sections of the brain to fully develop. No one knows this better than the auto insurance industry--just try to insure a driver under the age of 25!

So, why take this unneccessary risk?

What's your reason? Contest!

Please provide your feedback and thoughts about our "What's your reason?" program. What's your response when you hear our youth talk about what keeps them drug and alcohol free?

Click on the link below to tell us what you think!