21 Reasons Talk

Project AWARE Summer Film Institute

2011-05-12T08:48:00.000-04:00

We just received word of this amazing opportunity from our friends at Project AWARE and Carl Lakari. Know any aspiring young filmmakers? Please pass this along!

By now you may have heard about our 4^th annual Summer Film Institute to be held in August. I am writing today to ask you to help Project AWARE by getting the word out. In particular we have found that getting the info out to parents can help youth get involved in this program.

We find the best way to get kids involved is word of mouth and direct connection. It is hard to explain in flyers and e-mails this amazing opportunity.

It has been life-changing for many attendees (please note there are active links below that you can use for more information) :

Two (13 and 14 years old) attendees created a PSA on parenting that ultimately served as the basis for Project AWARE’s 3^rd movie Influenced. This award-winning movie was created at the 2009 institute and is available on DVD;
Ten Sanford kids who attended the Institute went back to school, got involved in their film club, and created the award-winning movie April’s Heart;
A young women returned to her school and created a PSA with her new skills; it received rave reviews and the commercial was picked up, re-produced professionally and aired nationally;
A PSA created on teen pregnancy has received over 130,000 views on You Tube and has sparked deep conversation about this contentious issue;
Recently an 8^th grader used his PSA and story on bullying in his hometown; it now airs on broadcast TV in Maine and he was nominated and chosen as a top 10 finalist for a $10,000 Colin Higgins Youth Courage Award from thousands of applicants nationwide;
4 young women created a powerful video about sexual assault as they processed their own childhood experiences. Sexual Assault Response Services is planning to use the PSA for education in schools;
Finally, a 14 year old teen was able to write, direct, and lead in her own movie about the healthy passions of youth. A Shoestring for Mackenzie is planned for a Fall 2011 release.

Attendees are using their experience at this summer day camp, located in Saco Maine, to learn new skills, build their resumes, process their own experiences, and bond with peers while making a difference. The experience is full, it is all created by youth, very high quality and about issues we hear about every day on the news.

Once there, kids are engaged and excited about this work. Help us with outreach – change a young person’s life! And also think about sponsoring youth to attend if your budget allows for it. It has been very successful (as you can see above!) in the past.

Please let me know if you are able to help. I recommend this e-mail along with the attached flyer with a few sentences of personal encouragement. List-servs, schools, parents, kids and many other venues are possible choices for networking.

Thank you in advance!

Thanks to Carl and Project AWARE for providing youth with this opportunity to be creative and make a difference! The flyer for the program is below:

Prom and Graduation Season is fast approaching...

2011-05-05T15:26:00.001-04:00

Work hard, play hard! School teaches us so much more than the three R's. It's also about life's balancing acts: work/play, eat/sleep, and hang on/let go are the top demands in a household with teens. Prom and graduation season certainly highlights the hang on/let go balancing act for parents of juniors and seniors.

While adulthood may seem like a stone's throw away, it's not a reality for older teens. In fact, their judgment is still under construction -- until their mid 20's. Sadly, there are far too many tragic stories of what happens when a teenager's limited judgment is further impaired by alcohol -- beyond drinking and driving, studies show links between alcohol and drownings, falls, assaults and sexual violence.

All Maine's teens are at risk for underage drinking. One of the top protective factors for reducing underage drinking is parents. Talk to your teen about the risks, let them know you do not want them to drink. Ask about their plans, and don't be afraid to ask whether there will be alcohol present -- and to
say no if there will be.

There are lots of opportunities for letting go and giving your teen freedom and responsibility. When it comes to alcohol, they just aren't ready.

21 Reasons May Tip of the Month!

Read more on this topic in the Portland Press Herald's April 21, 2011 OpEd piece.

Looking for resources? PortlandPreventionTips.org is a great place to start.

“Today Show” and WSJ discuss: Should parents teach responsible drinking?

2011-03-18T16:35:00.000-04:00

Could there be benefits to allowing teens to drink in moderation at home? A recent segment on "The Today Show" asked this question of college students and others, mimicking a conversation common among parents.

Here at 21 Reasons, however, we see holes in "Today"'s conclusions, as well as a misrepresentation of current research:

The experts on “Today” cite many European countries where drinking at meals is common as models for teaching responsible drinking at home. However, a recent article in The Wall Street Journal cites a study examining binge drinking among teens which found France, Italy, Ireland, Denmark and the U.K. to have higher rates than here in the States.
"Today"'s focus group of college students presented the "forbidden fruit" argument, which says that outlawing or disallowing a behavior will make it more attractive to boundary-pushing teens. However, research shows that kids are less likely to drink if they think their parents strongly disapprove or if they think they'll be caught.
"Today" also ignores research which tells us that teen brains are still developing -- and, in fact, they'll doing so well into the mid-20s. Drinking alcohol damages young brains, which means there is no such thing as "safe" underage drinking.

Parents should take away from this conversation the knowledge that you matter -- you, more than anyone else, can affect the choices your teen will make. For great resources on how to prevent your teen from drinking, visit www.21reasons.org/parents.php.

Want to watch the clip described above? Just hit play:

Friday Afternoon Links

2011-03-04T15:59:00.000-05:00

We at 21 Reasons were happy to hear about this study, which evaluated the impact "Above the Influence," a National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). A compelling quote from ONDCP's press release: "This study confirms that the National Youth Anti-Drug Media campaign is effective, relevant to youth, and a vital tool in supporting drug prevention efforts of communities across the country. With youth drug use on the rise, it is imperative that a campaign like Above the Influence – one that is effectively reaching and resonating with youth in communities – receive the funding it needs to keep our young people safe, healthy, and drug-free." We could not agree more. Follow this link to check out Above the Influence on the web.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) offers another great resource for resisting peer pressure: This page is full of tips for adults -- parents, teachers, coaches, and others -- who want to help kids and teens resist social pressure to use alcohol and drugs.

In policy news, the Drug Enforcement Agency has placed an emergency ban on so-called "synthetic marijuana." The drugs have been sold legally as herbal incense for the past few years. However, as one quoted DEA administrator notes, "legal" does not always mean "safe". Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) writes: "Since 2009, the DEA has received an increasing number of reports from poison control centers, hospitals and law enforcement regarding these products. Emergency room physicians report that people who use synthetic marijuana experience serious side effects which include convulsions, anxiety attacks, dangerously elevated heart rates, increased blood pressure, vomiting, and disorientation." The active ingredients in these products have been listed as Schedule I substances (the most restricted category), and will be further studied. To read more, check out the DEA website.

Glee – "Blame It On The Alcohol"?

2011-03-03T12:09:00.000-05:00

Any “Gleeks” in the audience? Fans or regular viewers of “Glee”, the popular show on FOX, know that the show doesn’t shy away from controversial subject matter.

Last week’s episode was no exception. Underage drinking is on the rise among McKinley High students, and the Glee Club is asked to highlight the dangers of drinking by performing at a school assembly. In the week leading up the assembly, however, it’s the Glee kids who are experimenting with alcohol, at home and even in school. Characters talk about drinking as a way to have fun, let loose and be cool.

The feedback they get from adults is mixed. Mr. Schuester, their mentor and Glee director, takes this opportunity to condemn teen drinking and, especially, drunk driving, but isn’t sure how to respond when the kids challenge his opinions. He goes out drinking “to relax and blow off steam” with other faculty members, and comes to school with a strong hangover the next morning. As for the kids, they face few serious consequences for their actions.

What messages will kids and teens glean from this episode of “Glee”? That depends on the way adults around them react. If parents don’t speak to teens about alcohol and drugs, they will learn about it elsewhere, and what they learn may not be accurate; “Glee” is only one example, of many. As character Mercedes notes, much popular media these days glorifies alcohol, and there are very few songs out there that send the message that drinking is not okay. By engaging kids in a conversation that encourages critical viewing and listening, we can use this as a teaching opportunity to help our kids resist these messages in the future.

To get the conversation started, Drug Free Coalition of Tippecanoe County offers a list of questions for parents whose kids watch Glee:

Do you think that the episode of Glee realistically portrayed high school drinking?
How do you think it could have been different?
Do you think there was anything that the producers left out that would have made the awareness message stronger?
Do you agree with Coach Bieste’s statement – “We can’t stop them from drinking. It’s inevitable but we need to make sure they are educated on the dangers and hope that they are smart enough to make good decisions on their own”?
We've seen the Glee kids having tons of fun before this episode without the use of alcohol. What were some of those things? Did they seem to have any more or less fun with the addition of alcohol?

For a summary of the episode and an excellent analysis of the show’s messaging, check out this blog post from the Drug Free Coalition of Tippecanoe County: http://drugfreetippecanoe.blogspot.com/2011/02/popular-tv-show-tried-to-bring-in.html.

If you’d like to watch the episode for yourself, it’s available for free at Hulu.com for the next few weeks. Bear in mind that you may not consider the subject matter or how it’s presented appropriate for your kid or teen.

Big Bowl Vote 2011

2011-02-04T09:54:00.000-05:00

Super Bowl Sunday is fast approaching, and all over the country, fans are getting excited to watch the Packers and the Steelers have it out. But some viewers won’t just be watching for field goals: for many, the big-budget ads are just as exciting as the big game! “The Super Bowl is known for its commercials almost as much as it is for the game itself,” writes the Drug-Free Action Alliance of Ohio, and each year dozens of companies pay to be part of that, advertising cars, technology, services – and alcohol.

In response to this trend, Ohio’s Drug-Free Action Alliance has begun the Big Bowl Vote, a three-question survey of middle and high school students, to help communities assess which Super Bowl ads kids remember and to help parents and educators start conversations with kids about alcohol advertising. Last year, 40,000 youth in 39 states participated in the survey nationally, and found that two of the five most popular Super Bowl 2010 ads were selling beer.

Are you an educator? It's easy to bring the Big Bowl Vote to your classroom! The Big Bowl 2011 Toolkit provides materials, tips, and follow-up activities.

Are you a parent? Encourage your kid’s teachers to bring the Big Bowl Vote to their classroom! And if you and your teen watch the game together, use it as an opportunity to discuss alcohol advertising together and to help your child develop critical thinking skills about ads and alcohol. Check out the Big Bowl Toolkit to see a copy of this year’s questionnaire and the Drug-Free Action Alliance’s alcohol advertising fact sheet.

Check out the Big Bowl Vote site for more information and tools.

“Parenting: A Community Resource”

2011-01-20T10:48:00.006-05:00

What makes a good parent? In a short clip on CTN5’s website, several teenagers give us their perspective:
“A good parent is basically a role model.” – Abdul Karim, Age 16
“Understanding, and just being there.” – Nyador Nguany, Age 16
“A good parent in my eyes is someone who loves, cares, gives us privileges but knows when to be disciplined. There for us when we need someone to talk to.” – Demitrius Covington, Age 16

Hosted by our very own Jo Morrissey, “Parenting: A Community Resource” offers parents tips and strategies for approaching common challenges – including connecting with kids, setting boundaries and limits, and resolving conflicts. Current episodes cover these issues and more, reporting on community based-programs which help parents develop the skills they need to succeed, and discussing familiar scenarios with local experts. CTN partnered with Boys to Men, Center for Grieving Children, Kids’ First, Youth Alternatives/Ingraham, Real Life. Real Talk., LearningWorks, and 21 Reasons to bring this resource to our community.

Watch Jo and the "Parenting" team in the most recent episode:

Raising Drug-Free Kids webinar

2010-12-03T08:39:00.003-05:00

The Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) is an organization directed at training local anti-drug coalitions on "how to assess their local substance abuse-related problems and develop a comprehensive plan to address them," as mentioned on their website.

Yesterday, the CADCA aired a webinar surrounding the topic of raising drug-free kids. We know that as a parent, it can be hard to know what to say to your children. This hour-long presentation offers helpful tips and resources from researchers and parents just like you. To watch the presentation, click here.

For more tips and suggestions, please visit the parents section of our website, www.21reasons.org/parents.php.

Prevention Event a Community Success

2010-11-16T08:12:00.002-05:00

21 Reasons successfully put on our first annual Chalk it Up to Prevention event on October 8, 2010 in Monument Square. We had perfect weather, great company, interested media, and spectacular community involvement.

Thanks to many local artists, city council members, commissioner Shaughnessy, Mayor Mavodones, Day One, the Portland Police Department, and Ethos Marketing, we as a community were able to portray the many ways we can work together to prevent underage drinking.

Click here to see more highlights of the event!

What Makes Teens Tick

2010-11-09T08:18:00.004-05:00

“Excessive drinking and substance use can temporarily impair mental abilities, but these effects may be longer lasting in adolescents. Teens who use alcohol or drugs heavily show delayed or incomplete development of frontal-brain regions responsible for regulating attention and decision-making; alcohol seems to be particularly detrimental to planning skills while pot affects memory.” TIME, November 1, 2010, p 20.

This statement is based on research due to be released in January, 2011 in Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, vol. 35, No 1, 2011: pp 1-8.

For a more in depth review of what modern technology has taught us about the developing brain and how that research impacts our current policies and practices, see, "What Makes Teens Tick," TIME, September 28, 2008.

In a nutshell: Adolescence is a time of rapid maturation for the human brain. This process is influenced in large part by exposure and experience. For parents, this can mean the last bite at the apple to shape your child’s brain development. This is profoundly challenging when a teens’ natural reaction is to push back. One highly recommended course of action is seek out the other adults in your child’s life, form an alliance, and be armed with the facts. One fact is clear, alcohol can have an adverse affect on the developing teen brain.

Learn more, visit: 21 Reasons at: http://www.21reasons.org/; or Partnership for a Drug Free America at: http://www.drugfree.org/

Social Networking to Prevent Underage Drinking OK According to Poll

2010-11-08T10:35:00.004-05:00

Most folks in a recent survey found using social networking pages in order to reduce underage drinking is OK. This is according to a recent poll by the Leadership to Keep Children Alcohol Free Foundation, consisting of current and former Governor First Ladies, and/or their designees.

What do you think? Public domain or breach of privacy? How far should adults go to reduce underage drinking?

We welcome your comments!

Chalk it Up POSTPONED

2010-10-01T08:55:00.000-04:00

It's not raining now, but the forecast calls for driving rain by lunchtime, so we've decided to postpone Chalk it Up to Prevention until next Friday, October 8.

We're choosing to look at the bright side of this development--we have another whole week to get more participants! Let us know if you're planning to join us next week. We'll see you there!

Thursday morning links

2010-09-30T10:55:00.000-04:00

Our own Jo Morrissey was featured yesterday on Good Day Maine talking about tomorrow's Chalk it Up to Prevention (wish hard with us to keep the rain away--and check our website after 9am on 10/1 if you're uncertain if the event will be held):

And the Brunswick Times-Record featured an excellent opinion piece about the risks of alcohol use by young people--and what we can do to prevent it:

Involve all segments of the community — youths, parents, lawmakers, law enforcement, health care, schools and the media.
Determine specific community norms that permit or encourage teen drinking and target our efforts toward changing those norms.
Provide facts about the potential dangers of drinking — sugar-coating the realities is not effective, any more than over-dramatizing them.
Provide youth-driven, safe, healthy and fun alternatives to drinking alcohol.
Present clear NO-USE messages regarding underage drinking.
Continue talking with (not at) our youth about the pressure to drink, offer skills to resist the pressure and have an open door for dialogue when the issue arises.
Educate adults about the warning signs of alcohol use by youth, the effects of their own attitudes about alcohol use and where to go for help if needed.
Support law enforcement officials in enforcing the 21-year-old drinking age, in enforcing the laws that exist to deter adults from purchasing alcohol for minors, in adopting policies for detecting and terminating underage drinking parties and in strengthening compliance check programs in retail outlets.
Utilize existing key resources to learn what has and has not worked. The realities of underage drinking have multiple layers and need a multi-layered approach.

Looking for more news? You can find lots more links to local, national, and international news about underage drinking and its prevention and enforcement at our Delicious page.

21 Reasons Survey

2010-09-16T12:44:00.006-04:00

In order to serve you and our community better, we are asking you to provide us some feedback on our performance.

How do you think 21 Reasons is doing? Are there things you think could be improved upon? Are there things we should consider? Or, are there things we are doing very well and should keep up?

This is your chance to let us know your thoughts so that the staff of 21 Reasons may serve you and our community better. Please take a moment (about 10 minutes) to fill out our Annual Coalition Member Survey and let us know what you think.

The survey will be open until Friday, October 8th. We value your opinion

Family Dinners Can Make a Difference

2010-09-14T14:23:00.003-04:00

As the new school year begins, it is important to keep in mind how meaningful and effective talking to your kids really is. Even as schedules become more hectic and conflicting, we want you to remember that even the small stuff can make a difference.

A recent study done by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University has found that having regular dinners as a family will in fact put your child at less risk of using alcohol or drugs even as they are confronted with the pressure to do so in and outside of school.

If you haven’t been having family dinners lately, September 27, 2010 would be a great day to start. It’s the annual Family Day created by CASA, and it will be held across the nation. We urge you to participate! Family Day was created in 1992 by Joseph A. Califano Jr. in an effort to prevent the abuse of illegal drinking and drug abuse. Since its instillation CASA has done research that proves having a meal with your kids, listening and being interested in their lives, and informing them about the dangers of alcohol and drugs can have an impact.

Whether it’s a family dinner, a family breakfast, or even a game night, doing family activities is a simple prevention method.

And if you get a chance during dinner, you can talk to your kids about your expectation that they stay drug and alcohol-free.

Also check out The Partnership for a Drug-Free America for a guide to the Teen Brain and tips for parenting a teenager.

Chalk It Up to Prevention

2010-09-03T11:09:00.008-04:00

Call for Artists, Businesses, Galleries, Youth, Parents, YOU!

Portland, ME- 21 Reasons is hosting our first annual, “Chalk It Up to Prevention.” On Friday, October 1 Portland’s sidewalks will illustrate ways to prevent underage drinking.

Community members will draw on the sidewalk between Monument Square and Congress Square, from 11 -3, illustrating the many ways we all can prevent underage drinking. These chalk artworks will be visible throughout the First Friday Art Walk that evening.

Participants needed! We need artists, business participants, setup and cleanup help.

The rain date is October 8.

FMI:

Call: 207-773-7737

Email: 21reasons@mcd.org

Visit: www.21reasons.org

Maine colleges taking action to prevent alcohol harm

2010-08-18T14:55:00.003-04:00

We applaud the efforts of Colby, Bates, and Bowdoin Colleges to take preventative steps to decrease the negative effects of underage drinking and high risk drinking on their campuses.

The Minimum Legal Drinking Age of 21 was set back in 1984 to reduce the death toll from high risk drinking in youth and young adults. This is now considered one of the most successful public health policies in United States history saving an estimated 900 lives/year. Youth drinking rates have also steadily declined over this period of time as youth’s access to alcohol through only slightly older siblings and friends has been stymied.

The good news for educators is that, if they’re determined to make a difference, they can. A new report out by Children’s Hospital Boston says that when tough campus policies are consistently enforced, they “can reduce underage drinking and heavy episodic drinking on campus - without a ‘compensatory’ rise in marijuana use.”

By creating and enforcing rules against underage drinking, colleges are helping young people develop social skills without drinking, as well as teaching them to respect the law. More importantly, by waiting to consume alcohol until after 21, youth and young adults will be less likely to have negative alcohol outcomes—like injury, dependency, and other physical and mental health consequences.

Chem Free Club Parties?

2010-08-16T10:23:00.000-04:00

Parents today are facing all kinds of new situations and decisions—things that their own parents wouldn’t have ever heard of, or would have handled quite differently. Now we know a lot more about the way that teen brains develop and what’s safe, and what’s not.

I was reminded of this recently when I saw an advertisement for an all-ages chem free night at a local bar. It’s a tough call for parents. Should you let your teen go to an all-ages events held at a bar?

On the one hand, it’s good to encourage your kid to do alcohol- and drug- free events, right? And Maine Liquor Law requires that alcohol be completely locked up at events like this, so it seems at first glance like it might be a good opportunity for teens to get out and have a little fun.

But we think that letting teens go to events like this isn’t a great idea, and here’s why:

Bar staff and security aren’t trained in the particular needs of teens—they’re used to being around adults who are completely responsible for themselves
The kids who are going aren’t generally closely monitored by the venue staff—and some will take advantage of this lack of oversight to sneak alcohol or drugs
It makes teens feel like going to bars is the best way to have fun
Depending on the location of the venue, there might be a lot of bars open nearby that are serving alcohol. Bar patrons and teens are not a good mix!

It’s better and safer to stick with chem-free events that are hosted in a location that never serves alcohol, like a school or teen center.

Princeton Reviews Encourage Illegal and Dangerous Behavior

2010-08-09T11:43:00.002-04:00

According to a Portland Press Herald article, the well-known Princeton Review Top Party Schools list for the 2010-2011 academic year has been released-- and this year the University of Georgia ranks in at #1. Despite increasing police force on underage drinkers since 2006, the University of Georgia is up from its #4 spot in last year’s ratings, and school officials are finding it hard to believe that they would acquire this title. The University says they take student alcohol education programs seriously, and they find it very disconcerting and surprising that their efforts aren’t presenting the results they had hoped for.

However, while many are looking at colleges to blame for underage drinking and partying, it’s surprising how little responsibility is being put on the Princeton Review itself for reporting and reinforcing the idea that the purpose of college is heavy drinking.

Why does there need to be a ranking list? Promoting where the best party schools “rage,” and where the “reefer madness” occurs, as described on Princeton’s website, is not only hurtful to the school’s reputation itself, as Georgia feels, but it is also a risky venture. Glorifying and perpetuating the idea of “party schools” as a positive thing only encourages high school kids to look for schools where drinking is heavily prevalent. College drinking puts students at risk of death, injury, assault, academic problems, and more, according to College Drinking Prevention statistics.

So, how are students or colleges truly gaining from the publication of such material? The catchy titles and popularity of the Princeton rankings actually encourage the illegal and dangerous behavior and can attract students to these colleges purely for non-academic reasons.

Creating a sense of shame associated with making it to the top party school position may further help move forward college efforts to reduce and prevent high-risk drinking, and at the same time we should always be pushing for college administrations to curb the drinking activities and tone down the party atmosphere on campuses. But maybe we should also be looking at the instiller of the problem itself—cultural expectations.

Alcohol Metabolism Testing: Harmful or Helpful?

2010-08-03T10:41:00.010-04:00

According to a recent New York Times article, the University of California at Berkeley is giving incoming freshmen students a unique way to bond with each other before the first day of school: sending in a DNA sample to be analyzed for an individual’s ability to metabolize alcohol, lactose and folates. The school’s stated intention is to help students think critically about genetic testing, but their choice of alcohol as an “innocuous” gene test topic is questionable.

According to the schools FAQ section for students about the test:

The second gene encodes an enzyme called aldehyde dehydrogenase. This is one of a series of enzymes involved in metabolizing (digesting) alcohol. We will test for a variant of this gene that is associated with flushing (red face) and nausea after drinking alcohol. Since most of you are below the legal age for drinking alcohol, we strongly suggest that you not drink regardless of the results of this gene test.

Despite the school’s disclaimer, giving this kind of test to first-year students, most of whom are 18 or 19 and years away from legally drinking, sends a message that drinking is expected. We’re not the only ones who think so.

There’s also the risk that someone might misunderstand the results, test negative and not think any guidelines pertain to them, therefore assuming they can drink as much as they want.

Other critics say that it is irresponsible to provide any genetic testing outside of a medical setting, because there is no chance for those receiving the results to get feedback or ask questions. Once a student learns whether or not they have a gene that makes their face flush when they have alcohol then what? Who do they go to? Even if there are, as the New York Times article states, follow up “lectures and panels with philosophers, ethicists, biologists and statisticians exploring the benefits and risks of personal genomics,” this does not take the place of individualized counseling.

Alcohol is a critical discussion topic for any freshman orientation. Presenting such a serious topic as a harmless genetics issue, lumped together with lactose and folate, is inappropriate and potentially harmful. What do you think? Should UC Berkeley use genetic testing in this way? Should genetic testing related to alcohol be a part of it?

USDA Guidelines on Alcohol Consumption

2010-07-12T08:48:00.006-04:00

via Join Together

A USDA advisory committee has proposed new Dietary Guidelines for Americans including substantial changes about alcohol that concern many public health and addiction experts.

The real-world effect of the proposed new alcohol guidelines would likely be to encourage greater daily drinking, discourage appropriate caution about using alcohol for health benefits, and open the door for the alcohol industry to misrepresent federal alcohol consumption guidelines to consumers. ...The USDA is inviting online public comments about the proposed guidelines, but you must act very soon -- the deadline is Thursday, July 15.

...Read our blog post and Dr. Tim Naimi's excellent commentary, then follow the links to submit your comments to the USDA. We've linked to some helpful talking points from Marin Institute in the blog post.

What do you think about the USDA alcohol consumption guidelines?

“Magic drink” just an illusion

2010-07-01T14:24:00.002-04:00

Fox News reports that a French product, Outox, is claiming to reduce reduce drunkenness and hangovers. It sounds like a miracle for over-imbibers of the legal drinking age. Could this product really work?

A study by the Institute for Legal Medicine in Innsbruck, Austria, has found that that it doesn’t. The research shows that Outox might delay absorption of alcohol by the body, but cannot change the rate at which the body processes alcohol.

In other words, any alcohol that you put in your body stays in your body—regardless of any magic drink that you might wish could help.

To safely enjoy alcohol, and prevent over-intoxication and subsequent hangovers, adults over 21 should follow these tips offered by Party Smarter:

Plan - Where are you going? Who are you going with? How are you getting home?

Prepare - Eat, drink water, and make sure you take just enough money to have a good time. Leave the credit cards at home!

Pace – Limit how much you drink in a night.

In the news: "Icing" trend

2010-06-21T11:20:00.004-04:00

We’ve seen a few articles recently, from both Time magazine and the New York Times, about a new trend called “icing”. Essentially, it’s a drinking game that involves men (“bros”) surprising other bros by handing them an alcopop – the person then has to go down on one knee and chug the entire drink at once. If the dude already has a bottle with him, the guy originating the “icing” must drink both bottles. As the Time article mentions, if you refuse to play, you’ll lose credibility with your friends. The author of the Time article talks about this ironically, but it’s not hard to see that some people could take it seriously.

There’s been some question as to whether this is a new marketing technique by Diageo (the parent company), although they have denied it. Even if it wasn’t dreamed up by the advertising execs themselves, those who join thinking it’s all in fun end up being used to virally market a product. And there are several other issues - as 21 Reasons staffer Jen says, “…the sexism of humiliating a guy by making him drink a “girly” drink on his knees, the binging-DUI-open container aspect…”

Essentially, although it sounded like a bogus trend to us at first, it appears that the game has gained a following, and parents and those who work with teens should be aware that it promotes unhealthy drinking: the alcopop must be chugged immediately, regardless of the situation that the “ice-ee” finds himself in—and the game could require two or more drinks in a row. For an average-sized male, that could put them dangerously close to exceeding the legal driving BAC.

Not only that, but the game has ties to pop culture icons in addition to the college party scene, making it potentially more appealing to teens.

UPDATE: As of last weekend, Ad Age is reporting that the Bros Icing Bros website has been taken down, mostly likely due to a push by Diageo. Although Diageo’s statement said that the game “does not comply with our marketing code”, they didn’t mention much about the potential that the game has to increase unhealthy drinking. And while it’s great that they’re distancing themselves from this trend, it seems like they might be more concerned with copyright infringement and the fact that the game “disparages” the alcopop rather than the dangerous drinking behavior the game promotes.

Teen Party Pitfalls

2010-06-16T09:23:00.002-04:00

Two doctors from New Hampshire are facing charges from a party they hosted for their teenage daughter.

They thought they were doing the right thing by being present at the party and making it clear that alcohol and drugs would not be tolerated. They had their daughter say this explicitly in the invitation and claim to have made several announcements during the party—which they chaperoned—that there would be no drinking or drug use.

But later in the evening, while they were playing ping pong in the basement with some of the kids, the police showed up and found a backyard strewn with beer cans.

"It's a really terrible thing. We feel really horrible. Obviously, we're responsible. We're the adults there. But we didn't procure the alcohol. We didn't condone it and we, three different times, said 'Zero tolerance,'" Boyd said.
He said his daughter is "mortified," because she was trying to do something nice for her friends. He said he and his wife have replayed events over and over in their minds and their big mistake was saying yes to the party in the first place.
Weare police said there were so many people under 21 at the party that they had to call in officers from four other towns to help.

This perfectly illustrates the need for strict supervision and adult attention to young peoples’ parties. Because, under Maine law, the parent in question could still be charged—and liable for injuries and damages if anyone gets hurt—even if they weren’t aware that kids were drinking at the party.

We have some suggestions below for hosting safe teen parties. It sounds like the NH parents followed some of these rules, but that they missed some important cues about their guests’ behavior. (More tips here).

Make it a great party by planning for everything…

If you are expecting more than 10 teens per adult, ask for volunteer chaperones.

Decide on a guest list. Give your teen a maximum number to invite and set an age limit for guests. Make sure to keep a copy of the guest list for your records.

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.

Inform parents/guardians about the party and explain your expectations of partygoers. No alcohol!

Have parents or responsible adults drop off and pick up teens. If teens drive to the party, plan to hold all keys to eliminate the temptation of leaving and returning to the party.

Stay at the party. Your presence is important. Walk through the party area frequently. Have additional adult supervision on-site during the party.

Ask all uninvited guests to leave immediately. If necessary, call the police to escort unwanted guests out.

If you suspect a teen guest is intoxicated, contact his or her parents/guardians immediately.

Have guests remain in the party location; do not allow teens to go back and forth to a parking lot or their car.

Hold the party in an area you can monitor party guests from inside and outside.

Watch for strange behavior. Pay attention if a guest frequents the bathroom after getting a drink. This could indicate the use of illegal substances or alcohol.

From Parental Guide to Hosting Responsible Teen Parties Virginia Department of ABC Education Section.

Who's saying what: one study, three articles

2010-06-01T08:44:00.009-04:00

While a lot of what we do here at 21 Reasons involves sharing prevention resources with parents, businesses, law enforcement, and our other community partners, we also like to link to news articles, especially through our website and our Delicious links.

We’ve noticed that when a major story breaks – for instance, if new research is published – it’s common for multiple news outlets to pick up the story. Whether you’re a fan of Fox, CNN, CBS, ABC, and so on, chances are you’ll hear or read the story eventually.

But what if you’re not getting the whole story? We got a reminder recently that all news is not created equal.

The source article was published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, entitled “Relationship between alcohol intake, health and social status and cardiovascular risk factors in the urban Paris-Ile-De-France Cohort: is the cardioprotective action of alcohol a myth?”

At least three major news outlets picked up the story, but they had very different takes on what the results actually meant (click for larger image):

There are more interesting differences in the three articles. First, the Telegraph article begins with a picture, whose caption reads, “Drinking modest amounts of alcohol does not necessarily make you healthier, [researchers] claim.” This is pretty much the exact opposite of what the title suggests. If you dig a little more, you’ll read that both light AND moderate drinkers are healthier – the amount of alcohol consumed in these groups is UP TO ½ a bottle of “weak” wine a day.

Compare that to the Fox News article, which clearly promotes drinking. There is no mention of several quotes by the authors that explain that there is no direct link between alcohol and health in this study. The only part that comes close is this vague sentence: “Importantly, the findings showed moderate alcohol consumption is a powerful general indicator of optimal social status, and this could be a key reason for improved health…”

Finally, we have the MSNBC article. Their subtitle clearly states that drinking doesn’t lead to better health, and the second paragraph explains in depth. This article is also the only one of the three that mentions the negative consequences of drinking.

So what’s the point? We’re not here to slam news agencies for bad reporting – none of them wrote anything that was actually false in the articles mentioned above. What is important is that we recognize that news articles might not be able to explain the whole study in one column. Maybe this means we read all the news coverage we can find about a certain study. Maybe it means we hunt down the original journal article. What we shouldn’t do, though, is start drinking three mixed drinks a day because a news headline mentioned that vodka can get rid of wrinkles … you get the idea.

Portland Police and local bars partner up for prevention

2010-05-28T11:41:00.003-04:00

Regarding youth and underage drinking:

As seen recently in the press, there is a new initiative launched by the Portland Police, Portland Downtown District, and the Night Life Oversight Committee. While these plans were hatched many weeks ago, the press conference in Monument Square served as an appropriate backdrop.

All of us at 21 Reasons are saddened by this recent tragedy, which is one more example of the incredible damage that can result when young people are exposed to alcohol.

The vision of 21 Reasons is to build a community where youth are alcohol-free. This is because young people’s brains are still developing; they simply aren’t wired yet with the impulse control or judgment to handle the influence of alcohol.

21 Reasons is proud to partner with the Portland Police Department and the Night Life Oversight Committee to help realize our vision—and theirs—for a safe and legal Old Port.

As part of our partnership, we offer a variety of resources and support for Portland alcohol licensees, including signage, low-cost seller-server training, and a resource guide that explains laws and best practices for liquor licensees. In addition, we host a website, MaineBAC.org, that aims to reduce high risk (binge) drinking among young adults.

We hope that this tragedy will help raise awareness that the dangers of underage and high risk drinking go far beyond drinking and driving. Two thirds of underage alcohol-related deaths have nothing to do with automobiles. It is more likely that youth who drink will die from unintentional injuries—such as drowning, falls, burns—or death from homicide or suicide.

Beyond the mortality statistics, youth who drink alcohol experience adverse effects in brain development, and are at an increased risk for developing alcohol use disorders as adults. Alcohol also plays a role in youth depression, sexual assaults, vandalism, and other violence.

This tragedy is one more sad illustration of the importance of preventing underage and high risk drinking, and how we all need to do a better job—not just alcohol establishments, but also parents and other adults—in making sure underage youth do not have access to alcohol.

Party Patrol Kits for Cumberland County Cops

2010-05-26T09:40:00.004-04:00

The Cumberland County Underage Drinking Enforcement Task Force held a press conference on Wednesday, May 19, 10:00 Portland Police Auditorium to announce the release of their 2010 Party Patrol Kits.

The press conference was to highlight law enforcement efforts in our communities to keep youth drug and alcohol free. The fact that representatives from every law enforcement agency throughout Cumberland County attended demonstrates their commitment to enforcing underage drinking laws.

The intention of these kits is to aid law enforcement response to the scene of an underage drinking party, and help them to investigate the source of the alcohol and who was in control of the property. The real crime is furnishing alcohol to minors or furnishing a place for minors to consume alcohol. Yes, we want youth to face age-appropriate consequences for their actions, but adults should know better and therefore are the real targets of criminal investigations.

Our message was to let parents know law enforcement is looking out for their child's best interest. Underage drinking is against the law-and for good reason. Those who begin drinking by the age of 15 are four times more likely to develop some type of alcohol use disorder in their lifetime. Those who begin before the age of 17 are twice as likely.

Furthermore, youth who believe they will not be caught by the police for drinking alcohol are 4 times as likely to drink. This points to the powerful prevention role of law enforcement.

These kits are the result of that collaboration within our own task force as well as the sharing of ideas and resources between the CCUDETF, the Androscoggin County Underage Drinking Enforcement Task Force, and the Maine Office of Substance Abuse. Credit for the investigative checklist goes to the Androscoggin Task Force. Maryann Harakall of the Maine Office of Substance Abuse researched and compiled the list of items for the party patrol kits.

For copies of the investigative booklet, contact Jo Morrissey.

CCUDETF supplied the following items in the kits:

PBT's (breathalyzers)
White boards & markers
Cameras
Underage Party Investigation Booklets with investigative questions and techniques to ensure the smooth and safe response at the scene.
Flashlights
Binoculars
Extra batteries for the PBT, camera, and flashlight

Additional recommended items to be supplied by each department include:

Drug detection kit
Bullhorn
Flex cuffs/handcuffs
Latex gloves
Miranda warning cards
Processing forms (juvenile & adult)
Citations
Evidence forms
Clipboards
Transparency covers
Tape recorder
Extra tapes
Pencils
Highlighters
Black pens
Sharpies
Water bottles
Energy bars

Present at the conference were:
CCUDETF Chair, Jo Morrissey
Officer Donald McCormick, Bridgton
Chief Neil Williams, Cape Elizabeth
Chief Joseph Charron, & Lieutenant Milton Calder, Cumberland PD
Chief Deputy Kevin Joyce CCSO
Chief Edward Tolan, Falmouth PD
Chief Gerald Schofield & Officer Mike McMannus, Freeport
Chief Ronald Shepard, Gorham
Asst. Chief Michael Sauschuck, Sargent Charles Libby, and Officer
Ray Ruby, Portland
Chief Robert Moulton, Scarborough
Chief Edward Googins, Officers Robert Scarpelli, South Portland
Lieutenant Nugent, Westbrook
Chief Richard Lewsen and Sargent William Andrews, Windham
Lieutenant Dean Perry, Yarmouth

Additional speakers included Asst. Chief Sauschuck, Portland; Chief Googins, South Portland; Lt. Nugent Westbrook; Chief Deputy Kevin Joyce CCSO; Chief Lewsen, Windham.

We got some fantastic coverage from Portland Daily Sun, Wednesday, May 19, page 3, Channel 8, Channel 6, Channel 13/Fox 23, and Portland Press Herald.

The CCUDETF is convened by 21 Reasons with funding from the Maine Office of Substance Abuse that is contracted to us by the Healthy Maine Partnerships. The Task Force is made up of every law enforcement agency within Cumberland County in order to help facilitate cooperation around enforcing underage drinking laws.

Prom and Graduation Season Tips for Parents

2010-05-18T08:29:00.003-04:00

Time to Talk has some great tips for parents during prom season:

Time for Prom and Graduation? Time To Talk with Your Teens

Prom season is fast approaching, and for many teens, this time of year offers a taste of new freedoms and the temptation to engage in risky behavior. A new study of 11th and 12th grade students from across the country shows that teens don't recognize the dangers of driving on prom and graduation night, even though they recognize their peers may be more likely to drink on these occasions. Nearly all of the students surveyed, 90 percent, reported that their peers are more likely to drink on prom night and 79 percent reported the same for graduation night. Despite believing that their peers are more likely to drink during prom and graduation, only 29 percent reported that they believe driving on prom night is dangerous, while 25 percent said the same for graduation night.

The study surveyed over 2,500 students and was conducted by ORC Guideline for Liberty Mutual and Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD).

What You Can Do to Help Keep Prom Goers and New Graduates Safe?

To keep celebrations safe and healthy, here are some helpful tips and advice for parents and caregivers:

Know Your Teens' Plans and tell them to update you if the itinerary changes so you're aware of their whereabouts.

Check In With Them Via Text - they are more likely to reply, since it's discreet. You can send messages like "Hope ur having a gr8 time!" or "U OK?" before and after the dance.

Trust Your Teens and resist the urge to hover. You've filled them in on the rules and the risks - chances are they got the message.

For more ideas visit the Time to Talk website, or 21 Reasons' parent page.

Teens Take Risks: Ideas for Keeping Kids Safe

2010-05-13T12:25:00.001-04:00

NPR had an excellent story this week on the teenage tendency to take risks. As they point out, teens “engage in risk-taking behaviors to find out who they are, not to rebel or get back at the parent.”

Given this reality, a parent’s job is to help teens take “safe” risks so that they’re not tempted to engage in unhealthy behavior that can have lifelong consequences—like drinking, drugs, or unsafe sexual activity. From the piece:

What are some examples of healthy risk-taking activities?
Sports and developing artistic and creative abilities -- be it through art or theater -- are all activities that involve healthy levels of risk-taking. Teens can engage in volunteer activities, and even Internet activities. It can be as simple -- and as scary -- as getting up on stage, or asking somebody out, says Steinberg. All these behaviors may satisfy a teen's need to push boundaries, but are usually in an environment where there's very little harm that could result.

The article also recognizes that parents—often unintentionally—role model behavior for their kids.

Adults have patterns of risk-taking, too -- think about what they are, and model good behavior. …Steinberg agrees. "Teens who drink a lot often come from households where their parents drink a lot. Teens model their parents. Even though parents think their teens ignore them, they watch them."

What are some other kinds of healthy risk-taking behaviors that we can encourage in teens? What are some ways that you have changed your behavior to model healthy actions for a young person in your life? Share your ideas in the comments section.

Fentiman's on the Colbert Report

2010-04-20T10:19:00.002-04:00

Maine was back in the national media spotlight last week after the Comedy Central show “The Colbert Report” did a segment on the Fentiman’s Victorian Lemonade “incident” in Houlton, ME last November.

What the “Colbert Report” glosses over is what we wrote about when the incident first came to light – it is simply against Maine law to sell imitation liquor to a minor, and according to the law, Fentiman’s qualifies.

As the Bangor Daily News mentions (“'Colbert' nails fermented lemonade”, 4/9/10), though, the satirical show highlights that Attorney General Janet Mills and Houlton Police Chief Butch Asselin can both have a good sense of humor--while still sticking to the decision they made. Chief Asselin standing in the middle of the road, glaring at the camera, pouring out a lemonade bottle? Pretty funny. AG Janet Mills staring down a bottle of the lemonade in her office? Comedy gold.

Yes, to those who may not have known about Maine’s laws beforehand, the situation probably seems ludicrous. And did we laugh at the Colbert Report skit? Absolutely.

What bears repeating is that the actual alcohol content alone was never the problem with imitation liquor of any kind – it’s pretty easy to see that getting drunk off something with less than 0.5% ABV is extremely unlikely. But the sale of imitation liquor is illegal for minors in Maine for good reason: imitation liquor can be confusing for law enforcement officials looking for kids drinking, and—more importantly—it teaches youngsters to enjoy the taste and habit of alcohol consumption.

Nailed ‘em, Colbert? Sure, but so did we.

What's a binge?

2010-04-16T15:18:00.001-04:00

Binge drinking is the consumption of four or five alcoholic drinks per occasion (depending on the drinker’s gender). The CDC just released a video about binge drinking that describes some myths and realities, and gives community prevention strategies.

CDC Video Player.
Flash Player 9 is required.

In addition to the excellent information shown in the video, I would like to add that excessive consumption sets a bad example for youth and young adults, who are looking to adults to set the standards for behavior.

Infographic of the day

2010-04-08T10:24:00.004-04:00

Figure 1. Percentages of Past Month Alcohol Use among Persons Aged 12 to 20, by State: 2006 to 2008

Alcohol for a cause

2010-04-07T16:22:00.004-04:00

Last week’s Portland Phoenix has an article about “drinks for a cause” (Fine Wine, Fine Cause by Leischen Stelter, March 31, 2010)—a way to raise money that has been gaining popularity in recent years. Alcohol and fundraising can seem to go inevitably together.

21 Reasons staffer Jen Hodsdon worked in the development field for many years, and responds to the Phoenix article:

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard development people say that they need event attendees to get a few drinks in them before they’ll start bidding in fundraising auctions or donating money. I think it comes from a larger cultural situation in which adults feel like they need to drink to get together. However, I’d like to encourage non-profit organizations, especially ones that serve youth, to consider reducing or eliminating alcohol-based fundraisers.

It’s true that fundraising events can feel awkward, because the people there are getting together for a cause rather than because they necessarily like each other—and alcohol is a shortcut to relaxation.

But youth watch what adults do, and tend to mimic the behavior and beliefs of adults that they admire. They observe how we calm our anxieties and relax, and drinking to do this can send the message that alcohol is a necessary tool for relieving stress—and can encourage teens to self-medicate with alcohol to relieve their own stressors and anxieties.

To avoid sending this message, adults can demonstrate and discuss other ways to get over the anxiety of getting together with strangers, like using icebreaker games or practicing conversation topics before the event.

Event planners might also believe that everybody is serving alcohol at their events—and they fear that people won’t attend if there’s no alcohol or if it’s restricted. However, I did a survey last year of 185 Portland non-profits, and about half of the respondents said that they didn’t hold any events that served alcohol!

And, it turns out, most adults don’t mind: a national survey showed that 80% of adults support restricting alcohol sales at events. In addition, alcohol-free fundraisers would be more appealing to people who prefer events that are free from alcohol-related problems.

21 Reasons has released a guide for non-profits on serving alcohol at community events. It give tips for managing risk if you do decide to serve alcohol, and some things to consider if you’re thinking about going alcohol-free. The guide is available digitally or in hard copy by emailing Jen.

Prom Photo Contest, $500 Grand Prize

2010-03-26T13:50:00.003-04:00

21 Reasons, with the help of Tim and Eva in the Morning on Maine’s Coast, 93.1, is announcing a “best” prom photo contest—with a cash prize of $500 to the most awkward, uh, winner!

Wow, Times Have Changed, and for the better. Thank goodness underage drinking is going the way of big hair, ruffled shirts, and bad fashion!

To celebrate the fact that underage drinking rates in Portland have been declining since 1995, 21 Reasons, an underage drinking prevention coalition, is sponsoring a Prom Photo Contest. Why? Since underage drinking can harm the developing brain (which actually stops developing at the ripe old age of 25!), this decline in drinking rates is cause for celebration!

Who can enter? Anyone over 29 can enter, because anyone 29 and older was in high school before 1995.

How do I enter? Go into the attic and find your most awesome prom photo, then go to www.21reasons.org and follow the simple directions. It’s so easy even a baby boomer can do it.

What can I win? There are two ways to win! The first 21 photo entries will receive a $10 music download card. The photo with the most votes will receive $500!

HOW do I win? When your photo is posted online, 21 Reasons will send you a link to it. You send the link to ALL your friends and family, and then they can vote for your photo as the best! On-line voting opens up April 12th. Photos posted as they come in until then.

Why should I participate? Not only is this a fun contest with amazing prizes, but spreading the word about how “times have changed” will help parents, and everyone else, realize when it comes to underage drinking we’re headed in the right direction. There are more statistics and information below.

Overview:
• Accepting photos for two weeks between March 29th and April 11th.
• On-line Voting begins April 12th and lasts one week until April 19th.
• Winner Announced Tuesday, April 20th. LIVE Tim and Eva in the Morning on Maine’s Coast, 93.1- WMGX.
• Winning photo to be used in a Prom and Graduation season reminder card to be distributed through area participating tux, florists and limousine companies. The cards will be distributed with each boutonniere, corsage, or limousine contract. Messages on the card will remind parents that most youth don’t drink and that parents can and do have the power to enforce underage drinking rules.

Additional Information:

According the Maine Youth Drug and Alcohol Use Survey, most youth don’t drink. In fact, only 28% say they have had a drink in the past 30 days. That’s down from almost 40% in 1995. In addition, a recent Parent Phone Survey sponsored by 21 Reasons revealed more Portland parents are concerned about underage drinking and taking concrete steps to prevent it. This includes:
• talking with their teens about alcohol
• asking if alcohol will be at parties
• calling party hosts to make sure alcohol will not be provided

Due to modern brain scanning technology, we know more now than ever before about the harm underage drinking can cause the developing brain.

Together, we are making underage drinking a thing of the past…just like those tacky prom dresses.

For more tips and information, visit: http://www.21reasons.org

Canadian drinking

2010-03-09T11:00:00.004-05:00

Often in our work to prevent underage drinking, we hear the argument that countries with a lower minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) have fewer problems with alcohol. And since Canada is our nearest neighbor—and the Canadian MLDA is 19 in most provinces (18 in Alberta, Manitoba, and Quebec)—we thought we’d share recent research results about teen drinking in Canada—and compare them with stats from Portland, Maine.

	Manitoba 2009	Portland 2008
% of 9^th graders who drank in the past month	39%	32%
% of 12^th graders who drank in the past month	69%	52%

% of 9^th graders who binge drank recently	19% (within 30 days)	18% (within 2 weeks)
% of 12^th graders who binge drank recently	51% (within 30 days)	31% (within 2 weeks)

These statistics demonstrate that a lower drinking age doesn’t improve alcohol-related problems for youth—in fact it increases the likelihood that younger teens will drink and drink more heavily.

The Manitoban government is addressing these issues “by boosting fines, cranking up public-awareness campaigns and convening a summit on the issue. [They] also vowed [March 4] to beef up enforcement of laws preventing the sale of tobacco to minors, while boosting fines for offending clerks and retailers”(source)—exactly the kind of environmental prevention efforts** that can help lower those rates.

**”Prevention aimed at the environment is based on the community systems perspective that views a community as a set of persons engaged in shared social, cultural, political, and economic processes.” [http://wch.uhs.wisc.edu/docs/SIG/fisher-EnvironmentalPreventionStrategies.pdf] Environmental prevention basically looks to change the context that youth live in to support their healthy choices.

Superbowl XLIV

2010-02-09T10:13:00.002-05:00

Well, Superbowl 44—along with all of its hype and overconsumption—is finally over. What do the numbers bring us on this Tuesday after the Big Game?

325,500,000: Gallons of beer drank by Americans on Superbowl Sunday (source).

100,000,000: The number of estimated viewers of Super Bowl XLIV (source).

80: The percentage of the general public that believes that alcohol advertising influences youth to drink alcoholic beverages (Source: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, Executive Summary of Findings of Research Study of the Public Opinion Concerning Warning Labels on Containers of Alcoholic Beverages (Washington, DC: BATF, 1988))

60: The percentage of US households that tuned into the game (source).

43: The percentage of 18-24 year olds who watch the Super Bowl (source)

10: The number of times an alcohol ad has won the USA Today Superbowl Ad Meter contest. For the past two years, however, the winners have been snack foods instead of alcohol!

10: The number of alcohol commercials that aired during the game (source: staff count)

3: The age of a local dj’s child who announced, after watching a commercial, “I love beer!” (source: 2/8/10 WJBQ97.9 morning show)

2: The number of winners of the 2nd Annual Free the Bowl Contest. See winners here.

1: Anheuser Busch InBev was once again the biggest advertiser during this year’s Superbowl. They purchased five minutes of advertising time (source), at an estimated cost of $27 million (source).

For more information about alcohol marketing and youth, check out CAMY and the Marin Institute.

Prevent Underage Drinking

2010-02-03T10:25:00.008-05:00

It’s hard to know just what to do about underage drinking.

The environment around a young person is a powerful influence in whether they choose to drink—or not.

And youth are less likely to drink if…

· Alcohol is really hard to get.

· They feel like adults in their community would disapprove.

· They believe their parents would disapprove.

· They feel like their friends and peers would think it’s uncool.

· They believe they’d get caught, either by their parents or by the police.

What is Straight Up?

Straight Up is a youth activity guide to prevent underage drinking. The activities in the guide aim to engage youth in creating permanent community change, rather than focusing on youth behavior.

How does it work?

Straight Up is organized like a textbook, with short activities and worksheets.

If you're in Portland, Maine: 21 Reasons staff can come do an activity with your class or youth group. Or you can implement activities on your own and apply for a minigrant from 21 Reasons.

If you're outside of Portland, Maine: Keep checking the 21 Reasons website. Straight Up will likely be available statewide soon.

FMI: Jen Hodsdon 21reasons@mcd.org or 207-773-7737

Teen Drinking and Brain Damage

2010-01-26T12:08:00.002-05:00

If you knew that you could prevent brain damage and school problems for your kid, would you act? A new study out says that there might be something pretty simple you can do: don’t let your underage kids drink.

There’s a common myth among parents that letting your kids drink under your supervision is better than not knowing where they are, if they’ll be driving, and so on. But a new study conducted by researchers at the University of California, San Diego, found a difference between the brains of teens who drank and those who didn’t.

The study started when none of the teen subjects had ever had alcohol. Over the next few years, however, some of the teens began to drink. Those that did drink were often bingeing (4-5 drinks a night) two or three nights a month.

The binge drinkers did worse on memory tests; binge-drinking boys also did worse on tests of attention, while the binge-drinking girls were worse when their spatial reasoning was tested.

What’s especially surprising is that the damage shows up so quickly. Just two of those “supervised” parties a month – approximately the same rate that the teens in the study were drinking – could potentially lead to brain damage. The study says that the performance of the non-drinkers to the binge drinkers can be compared to a whole grade point: like “the difference between

an A and a B”.

While the study does note that more research needs to be done to find out if the damage is reversible, it’s hard to imagine that it’s a risk a parent would be willing to take. And why make the complicated and difficult teen years harder?

So what can you do? Share this information with other parents. We know that it can be hard to talk about underage drinking with the parents of your child’s friends—but we think that preventing brain damage and school trouble is great motivation. Talk to other parents about the rules you set in your home, and find out their rules as well.

The story was featured on NPR on January 25^th.

For more information, visit us at www.21reasons.org. We even have a resource section just for parents.

Positive Messaging for Prevention

2010-01-11T15:15:00.004-05:00

How do you get kids to behave in a certain way while keeping them feeling good about themselves? It’s a tricky situation for parents and mentors. Always correcting a child’s behavior by telling them that they’re wrong may not be very helpful. A recent post to the Portland Public Schools’ Listserv reminded us of this excellent advice:

If the coach says "Don't miss," the kicker hears two negatives, "don't" and "miss." Thinking about avoiding the negatives, the kicker sees the goal posts or the edges of failure. Instead, suggests Jimmie, the coach should say, "Make the kick." Now the kicker looks right down the middle and the goal posts seem to get wider. Odds are now better the kicker will indeed make the kick to win the game….Parents to toddlers walking near puddles, instead of "Don't get your feet wet," how about "Keep your feet dry." Sour ce

But research shows that youth are far less likely to drink alcohol if they believe their parents think it would be “very wrong.”

So how can parents get this message across in a positive way?

Maybe the solution is to put the primary emphasis on the things that ARE expected: do your best in school, protect your brain and your body, be kind and considerate of others, be truthful about what you’re doing and who you’re doing it with, go to parties where parents are present and no alcohol is available to youth, be home by curfew. Then, within that context, list some of the things that would interfere—such as drinking alcohol before age 21.

Enforcement works

2009-12-18T15:10:00.002-05:00

According to WGME13, Portland Police handed out citations to two bars this week--both involving visibly intoxicated persons.

Mathews Pub was cited for serving a visibly intoxicated patron, and Downtown Lounge was cited for letting visibly intoxicated people into the bar.

We would like to commend Portland PD for continuing to enforce liquor laws, especially those regarding intoxicated people and, of course, underage drinking (see our recent blog post).

It’s good to see publicity about this kind of enforcement, especially since teens are four times more likely to drink if they don’t think they will be caught by police (2008 MYDAUS).

And we hope that bars are learning more about not serving to already intoxicated people – especially since, under the Maine Liquor Liability Act, bartenders can be sued if a visibly intoxicated person (or minor) hurts someone else. A bartender or owner can be held liable for $350,000 in damages and UNLIMITED medical expenses.

It’s pretty clear to us that it’s not worth the risk to provide alcohol for a minor, or serve someone who’s already drunk.

Parents Connecting for Alcohol-Free Youth

2009-12-16T11:43:00.002-05:00

This fall, the Maine Office of Substance Abuse (OSA) is launching a new resource co-developed with 21 Reasons and Maine’s Environmental Substance Abuse Prevention Center (MESAP).

“Connecting for Alcohol-Free Youth: A Parent Discussion – Facilitator’s Guide” is an innovative tool to help empower parents to prevent underage drinking. Check it out here!

The guide provides step-by-step instruction for hosting and facilitating small parent discussions, using a format inspired by the “Tupperware” model. Each discussion is meant to be friendly and relaxed, held in a home or a similarly comfortable community setting—for example, a local coffee shop or a meeting room in the public library. While designed primarily for parents of 5th- 8th graders, these discussions are appropriate for parents with younger children as well as older teenagers.

Geoffrey Miller, Associate Director of OSA, says:

“These discussions are designed to help you provide local parents with an opportunity to connect with other parents in a way that establishes shared monitoring strategies to prevent underage drinking.

“We are very excited about this new model, and look forward to seeing it carried out across the state. Success stories from the piloted communities are truly inspiring: One of the parent groups found the meeting so valuable that they formed a parenting group; many signed on to do more meetings; some were trained as facilitators; and others continued working on this initiative by becoming involved in their local community coalition. This is what we would like to see happen in communities across Maine.”

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has approved a change in format for Maine’s 2010 Preventing Underage Drinking Meetings. Rather than using the traditional town hall meeting format, Maine community-based organizations that participate in this initiative will be using “Connecting For Alcohol-Free Youth” in a small-meeting format with parents.

In fact, SAMHSA was so impressed with the discussion guide and this concept that they requested to offer the guide as a national resource!

We are so excited to assist SAMHSA and OSA in their efforts to prevent underage drinking; we hope that the upcoming parent meetings will inspire our communities here in Maine and across the country.

Parent reports underage drinking party

2009-12-15T11:03:00.003-05:00

Over the weekend, Portland police broke up an underage drinking party, thanks to the report of a parent whose teen was involved:

Charges stem from Portland teen party

PORTLAND – Police broke up a party during the weekend involving 35 to 40 teenagers, mostly from Deering and Portland high schools. Police were called to 16 Hope Ave. at 11:50 p.m. Saturday, after the parent of a teenager who had been drinking at the party reported it, police said …Police issued a court summons to a 16-year-old for furnishing the alcohol. [A father and son] were ordered to appear in court on charges of furnishing a place for minors to drink.

Reporting a party can be difficult choice for a parent, and we appreciate this parent’s decision to prioritize the health and safety of the young people involved. It’s up to each one of us to help make sure youth are safe, and we all are responsible for reporting dangerous situations—like underage drinking parties.

To those who are wondering, “What’s the big deal as long as they’re not driving?” we would point out that every year, alcohol contributes to more youth deaths than all other illegal drugs combined, and only 1/3 of those deaths are from car crashes.

The reality is that 2/3 of underage drinking deaths are the result of suicides, homicides, and injuries like alcohol poisoning, drowning, burns, falls, and suffocation. And there is collateral damage as well: underage drinking also increases youth risk of depression, addiction, sexual assault, teen pregnancy, school failure, and delinquency.

There is nothing to celebrate about that.

If you hear of an underage drinking party, report it to your local police department. A list of numbers for Southern Maine police departments is available here.

More tips for parental monitoring are available on our Parent Resources page.

Alcohol: Lose the caffeine, add the... protein?

2009-12-03T11:07:00.003-05:00

Recently, two different pre-mixed alcoholic beverages have been causing quite a stir.

The first is the alcoholic energy drink. According to the New York Times, companies who make products such as Joose and Four Loko now have 30 days to prove that their products are “safe”, otherwise the FDA will impose a ban on all caffeinated alcohol drinks.

We’re going to go out on a limb here and say that it’s obvious these drinks are anything but safe. As both the New York Times article and an article from 2008 in Time magazine have reported, combining a stimulant (caffeine) with a depressant (alcohol) will most likely cause you to underestimate how drunk you really are. You might feel like you are not impaired, but your BAC will tell a different story.

And while many news stories comment on the high alcohol content, they don’t mention what that higher alcohol content means. Let’s compare a traditional serving of beer with a can of Four Loko (which has one of the highest alcohol contents of the caffeinated drinks currently on the market). A beer is 12 oz, and a can of Four Loko is almost 24 oz. A serving of beer typically has around 5.0% alcohol by volume. A Four Loko can have as much as 12% alcohol by volume. So the serving size is twice as large, AND the alcohol content is more than doubled. If you do the math, you’ll find that drinking a can of Four Loko is like drinking FOUR beers.

Wait a minute, isn’t four beers (in a short amount of time, say, two hours) the definition of binge drinking? (at least for women, since that’ll get your BAC up to about 0.08 – it’s around five drinks in the same time frame for men). Hopefully, the risks are becoming clear. People don’t know how much they’re drinking, will drink it quickly, and won’t notice how drunk they are due to the caffeine.

And that’s not all. Researchers at Wake Forest University found that students who drank alcohol with energy drinks, when compared to those who drank alcohol that wasn’t mixed with energy drinks, were more likely to be injured, to ride with a drunk driver, or to be the victim or perpetrator of sexual assault. There’s even a risk for heart problems, since you’re sending two opposing messages to your central nervous system. With evidence like this, we sincerely hope the FDA (and the beverage companies) will do the right thing and take these products off the shelves.

The other beverage is relatively new, but it’s no less mind-boggling than the first. The founder of a company that runs several nightclubs and bars has created Devotion Spirits, which boasts the world’s first vodka infused with – wait for it – protein.

The brains behind the operation, Drew Adelman, came up with the idea as a product for people who are serious about their fitness – and apparently about their partying. The product claims include that the protein lessens the harsh taste of vodka, creates a smoother feel, and minimizes your hangover.

Again, we hope it’s glaringly obvious that this product is neither a miraculous non-hangover-inducing alcohol, nor a good idea for true fitness buffs. Just one night of heavy drinking can have the equivalent of 14 days of lost training (American Athletic Institute, 2004). Adding protein can’t and won’t change that. And we won’t even begin to describe our horror when we learned that the graphics on the product’s “sexy bottle” (the company’s words, not ours) were inspired by Mr. Adelman’s daughter. While the site doesn’t mention her age, it definitely sounds like she’s very young.

Let’s be clear: moderate drinking by adults over 21 is not a bad thing. But the very existence of these products encourage underage or irresponsible consumption. Let’s think about what we’re telling youth—and ourselves—about the consequences of drinking.

Football season? Time to free the bowl!

2009-12-01T13:34:00.002-05:00

That's the Super Bowl, you know. The Marin Institute has once again launched a campaign encouraging kids to submit anti-alcohol ads in opposition to the tsunami of beer and alcohol advertising that happen during the Super Bowl. The contest is called "Free the Bowl."

In this year's contest Big Alcohol is personified as "Big Al:"

Marin Institute has launched its second annual, nationwide anti-alcohol-advertising contest, FREE the BOWL™. This year's theme is to "Free the Bowl from Big Al," (a.k.a Big Alcohol), as youth contestants will identify where they see the negative influences of Big Al in their lives.

The contest for youth and young adults from ages 10 to 25 seeks original anti-alcohol-ads 30 to 60 seconds long to counter excessive alcohol advertising and marketing. The alcohol industry watchdog launched the contest at www.FreeTheBowl.com today and will use the site as well as YouTube to showcase video entries. The contest deadline is January 25, 2010, two weeks before the Super Bowl, the biggest alcohol advertising and inebriation day of the year. This year groups may compete, such as high school or college classes.

Are you thinking of making a Free the Bowl ad? Check out last year's winners.

Controversy Brewing in Aroostook County

2009-11-19T11:02:00.002-05:00

Aroostook County substance abuse prevention professionals, law enforcement, and Maine’s Attorney General have all been taking some heat from global media sources because of their decision to ban the sale of Fentimans Victorian Lemonade to minors.

There are two reasons why this decision was necessary:
1) Because Fentimans’ products are carbonated through fermentation, they contain a small amount of alcohol (0.5% or less).
2) Fentimans’ products are designed and marketed in such a way as to be considered “imitation liquor.”

Fentimans certainly meets the alcohol content requirements… but what about the imitation liquor charge? Consider the following:

Fentimans itself markets the drink as an adult soft drink (“Fentimans botanically brewed beverages are the original adult soft drinks.")

A product in the same product line, the Shandy, contains non-alcoholic beer, and another product, the Seville Orange Jigger, refers to a device used for measuring alcohol.

Prominent food reviews before the Houlton incident considered Fentimans an adult soda and a good mixer for alcoholic beverages.

It’s disingenuous for Fentimans to now claim that their product is “just a soda.” By suggesting that the alcohol content is the only reason for the “imitation liquor” classification, Fentimans displays not only a misunderstanding of Maine state law, but a complete disregard for how their product marketing and packaging might contribute to making underage drinking acceptable. Perhaps Fentimans should instead be concerned with children in their own country, especially when the UK leads the world in underage drinking and children under 12 regularly get admitted to ER's for alcohol poisoning.

The Fentimans Blog does make a good point: that other companies sell product (IBC root beer in particular) in beer-imitating containers—and that such containers are problematic. However, IBC does not contain alcohol, which exempts it from Maine’s “imitation liquor” statutes. Other products, like kombucha, which do contain a small amount of alcohol from fermentation, aren’t mistakeable for an alcoholic drink, and so are also exempt.

On their site, the Fentimans’ company snarkily makes fun of the folks in the County who are earnestly looking out for the welfare of youth, but we applaud the Aroostook Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition for taking an unpopular stand. Underage drinking is a serious matter, and when kids enjoy pretending to drink they are setting themselves up for some bad habits.

October Tip of the Month

2009-10-16T12:42:00.000-04:00

Decoding Decanter's Message

2009-10-06T10:15:00.003-04:00

Recently, one of the “Parent Resource” blogs we link to, Decoder, wrote an entry about an article in Decanter magazine entitled “How To Get Your Kids Into Wine.” The Decoder blogger points out the assumptions made and issues overlooked in the article, and we’d like to discuss some of them and add our own thoughts here.

Beverly Blanning, the author of the Decanter article, jumps right in, arguing that

There has to be an alternative message about wine for children, a way to install an appreciation of its essential qualities from an early age; one that could arguably save them from likely abuse. (emphasis added)

As the Decoder blogger points out, the best way to avoid alcohol abuse is to wait to drink until the age of 21. In fact, youth who begin drinking before the age of 15 are four times more likely to experience substance abuse as adults.

“It’s awful,” said my friend, “they’re taught at school that alcohol is really dangerous.”

Blanning proves that point by including a quote from the UK’s chief medical officer about how not drinking is the healthiest option for young people, as alcohol can be hazardous to the health, even among older teens. The US Surgeon General agrees, in a publication that came out in 2007, saying that “Underage alcohol consumption in the United States is a widespread and persistent public health and safety problem that creates serious personal, social, and economic consequences for adolescents, their families, communities, and the Nation as a whole.”

Blanning also argues that

the mere existence of magazines such as Decanter, the hundreds of websites devoted to discussing wine and the countless outpourings of individual bloggers and twitterers provide persuasive evidence that in wine's appeal lies more than its capacity to intoxicate.

Our response? Well, yes – there are wine enthusiasts. They are, and should be, adults. For teens, alcohol IS dangerous, and no amount of appreciation of the flavor or scent is going to change that. The human brain doesn’t stop developing until age 25 and drinking definitely has an effect on brain development. In addition, you have to factor in the teenage deaths from car crashes, “accidents” under the influence (like drowning, burning, and falls), and from suicides and homicides. While alcohol used in moderation by adults may not be “dangerous”, it is always a bad idea for teens.

In addition, the claim that because a market exists for something, it must be healthy, is just false. Cigarettes, anyone? Phen-fen? Steroids? Illegal drugs? People wanting to buy something (or talk about buying it) does not prove that it is a good idea.

Next, Blanning relates a conversation with a French student living in London, who says that she was never taught “about the dangers of wine”: “You must be joking… we were only taught about the dangers of strong alcohol – spirits.”

Our response? Alcohol is alcohol is alcohol. A 5 oz. glass of wine has the same amount of alcohol as a 1.5 oz shot of liquor. The dangers are exactly the same. Incidentally, this also sheds light on Blanning’s “wine has other qualities besides alcohol content” argument – that may be true, but if someone was looking to get drunk, wine could be as much a culprit as any other alcoholic beverage. And speaking with one French student does not an impartial survey make.

But speaking of impartial surveys, the European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Drugs (ESPAD) survey indicates that binge drinking is a huge problem in European countries: On average 43% of the ESPAD students reported heavy episodic drinking (5 or more drinks during a sitting) during the past 30 days.

Blanning glosses over the binge drinking problems that European countries are increasingly seeing (she seems to believe the common myth that “European society takes away the lure of alcohol”). Decoder does a good job of addressing this point, saying:

She also trots out that tired old maxim about all the Europeans who grow up drinking wine at the dinner table as children and then go on to become deliriously happy and high-functioning non-alcoholic adults. Why does this myth continue to perpetuate? I live in Europe and just as it is in the US, adolescent binge drinking is a huge problem in countries such as France and Spain.

In her parting shot, Blanning suggests that some parts of wine can be enjoyed without drinking it, so it’s another great way to introduce wine to children – “the beautiful countryside… the magical, bubbling transformation of grapes into wine…” ad nauseum. She recounts a trip she took with her 9-year-old son; after asking him if he wants to go, telling him it will be fun, and getting a negative response, she says “Luckily for me, he's still in the indoctrination stage – and too young to be left alone in the house – so we went.”

Our response? Parents, we know you’re smart enough not to confuse modeling responsibility and talking with your kids about alcohol with “indoctrination.”

For more information about the role that modeling plays in preventing underage drinking, you can check out our Representing Responsibility handout or our parental monitoring resources.

Hey Portlanders

2009-10-05T15:07:00.001-04:00

Do you ever avoid the Old Port because you're afraid for your safety? Please comment below...

21 Reasons: Now on your radio…

2009-10-01T08:49:00.007-04:00

Portland Coalition Coordinator Jo Morrissey got to visit the Coast 93.1 morning show with hosts Tim and Eva! She had a great segment last Wednesday, September 23.

While we’d love it if we could represent 21 Reasons on every morning show, Jo’s guest appearance on Coast 93.1 was triggered by a specific segment done on the morning of September 2nd:

Morning show host Eva wanted to have a listener discussion about a situation that happened with one of her friends. Eva’s friend hosted an underage drinking party for her son and eleven of her son’s friends. The mom contacted the guests’ parents beforehand, to let them know the teens would be drinking at the party--and only one set of parents said no! The party was described by the mom as “no drama”. The mother (Eva’s friend) bought a set amount of beer and took all the car keys; the teens played beer pong and there was “only one puker.”

Eva and Tim asked listeners what they thought about the situation – did the mother do the right thing? What do other parents think about hosting parties like this? While we didn’t get to hear all of the callers, “Officer Mike” and several others had great comments about legal issues, the drinking age, and how adults model drinking behaviors.

Obviously, when we heard about this, we needed to respond. Much of our work is done with parents, to let them know that underage drinking is NOT inevitable, and we want to provide support for parents who may find themselves in a situation like this one.

Jo answered some tough questions about the Minimum Legal Drinking Age (MLDA) and community norms about alcohol. She was also able to debunk some common myths about underage drinking – for instance, most teens actually DON’T drink.

A huge thanks to Tim, Eva, and Coast 93.1 for having Jo on the show and letting us share with their listeners!

Bad MADD Makes Us Sad

2009-09-28T09:12:00.005-04:00

In a press release on September 19^th, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) introduced a bizarre new product line – non-alcoholic wines, frozen drinks, and beers.

According to the press release, the US products are going to be based on similar beverages being developed by MADD Canada. Here’s what MADD’s CEO, Chuck Hurley, had to say: "What's important to us is that a designated driver should be sober — not just the least drunk… So a virgin cocktail perhaps would be a little more festive than just a club soda and lime and allow the person to participate in the festivities but be the sober driver to get people home."

Wait, what? It almost sounds like MADD is saying that to be included in the party, you have to at least look like you’re drinking alcohol. Since in Maine, only those over 21 can buy imitation liquor, one could reasonably assume that MADD’s “mocktails” are intended for adults. But what’s wrong with a soda, punch, or a smoothie? Apparently they’re not “festive” enough.

Are you confused yet? We are. Aren’t we trying to instill youth with the self confidence and social skills they need not to make destructive decisions, like MADD’s junior partner Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD)? If we expect this from a 16 year old, shouldn’t this be the norm for a 30 year old? So then why promote a product that suggests that pretending to drink “allows a person to participate in the festivities.”

MADD doesn’t offer much clarity. Here’s one of their official positions entitled No Mixed Messages: “MADD advocates elimination of any statements, slogans and other educational messages which target youth in such a way that ‘mixed messages’ about alcohol use are conveyed. Because of the '21' legal drinking age laws nationwide, messages which simply urge these youth not to drink and drive are inappropriate. Instead, messages to underage youth should convey clear ‘no use’ messages.”

In this statement, MADD advocates “clear ‘no use’ messages” for kids—and they use the same language on their "Why 21" site to talk to parents about sending mixed messages. But, with this product, MADD is still promoting the idea that adults who choose not to drink should look like they are drinking—and that festivities require at least the appearance of alcohol. How’s that for modeling responsible behavior?

Media news: YouTube!

2009-09-15T15:13:00.002-04:00

We're going multimedia! Now you can log on to the web and check us out on YouTube! Our channel is called "21reasonsmaine" and you can watch 21 Reasons PSA's and a video from the Casco Bay Coalition. It will be even easier to find us once we launch our updated website in October - we'll have a quick link to the YouTube channel right from our home page.

Webinar for Parents

2009-08-13T09:35:00.005-04:00

The Partnership for a Drug-Free America is offering a free webinar for parents to help protect their kids from substance and alcohol use. Information is below.

The Partnership for a Drug-Free America and the Boys & Girls Clubs of America invites you to a free Webinar and presents:

Parents: You Matter, a community presentation program that provides parents and caring adults with tools and information about why kids use drugs and alcohol, and how parents can protect their children. All resources will be made available to webinar attendees, including the presentation, an annotated script and additional materials about the program.

Who: Tom Hedrick, Founding Member and Senior Communications Officer, Partnership for a Drug-Free America

Date: Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Time: 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM EDT

Space is limited. The deadline is August 21.

Reserve your Webinar seat now at:
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/755864587

After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the free Webinar.

C.O.P.S. Training

2009-07-29T11:09:00.003-04:00

Here at 21 Reasons we work pretty closely with the police department to make sure that liquor laws are being enforced and to support healthy relationships between law enforcement, communities, and businesses.

But for many people the functions of the police department are shrouded in mystery and rumor. If you’ve ever wanted to learn more about how the Portland Police Department works, check out this free, 10-week class being offered by the PD starting in September.

According to a press release issued by the department, “the C.O.P.S. program is intended to be an overview of the functions and operations of law enforcement personnel. Participants will not be trained as police officers.”

The topics covered will include:

The Role of the Police Officer

The Hiring Process

Laws – Maine Criminal and Civil, Federal

Police Ethics

Juvenile Justice

Dealing with the Mentally Ill

Domestic Violence and Diverse Ethnic Groups

Patrol Procedures

Use of Force

The FATS Machine – shoot/don’t shoot scenarios.

Online application available here. And tell ‘em 21 Reasons sent you.

July Underage Drinking Prevention Tip of the Month

2009-07-08T08:51:00.002-04:00

Binge Drinking on Campus

2009-07-06T11:28:00.002-04:00

The New York Times published the following editorial on June 30, taking a closer look at the Amethyst Initiative and the legal drinking age.

This piece makes the important point that binge drinking has risen among college-attending young adults, while it has fallen among their non-college-attending peers. Perhaps the drinking age is not the problem.

Editorial
Binge Drinking on Campus

Published: June 30, 2009
College presidents who have been blaming drinking-age laws for drunkenness at their schools had better look at their own policies. While the amount of binge drinking — downing five or more drinks in a row — remains high at colleges, it has dropped sharply among people of the same age who do not attend college.

Last year, more than 100 college presidents and chancellors called for reconsidering the legal drinking age, which was raised to 21 by all states during the 1980s.
Their reasoning seemed to be that by making it illegal for most college-age students to drink, the laws had inadvertently made it more likely that students would engage in clandestine — and difficult to supervise — binge drinking. There was some talk that the minimum age for drinking should be reduced back to 18.
Now comes new evidence that the age-21 requirement has been generally effective in reducing binge drinking — except among college students. That was the conclusion of a study by researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, published in The Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
The study, based on information collected over a 27-year period by the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, found that binge drinking by men between 18 and 20 years old who did not attend college dropped by more than 30 percent over that period but remained statistically unchanged among similar-aged men on campus. There was no difference between college and noncollege women in the 18- to 20-year age group but a big upsurge in binge drinking by older college women.
Just why the college crowd continues to drink so heavily is not clear. Students are less likely to live with parents or spouses who can ride herd on their drinking. Most have older friends who can legally buy alcohol. Fraternities and sororities may also foster irresponsible drinking. Whatever the causes, the solutions almost certainly lie mostly within the colleges — perhaps with better counseling or stronger bans on under-age drinking — not by lowering the legal drinking age.

MADD separates from the Century Council

2009-06-19T11:28:00.002-04:00

“Keep your friends close, your enemies closer,” is an age-old motto. Sage advice, but in this case it has been trumped by, “Watch what they do, not what they say.” That is the lesson learned as we witness the breakup of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and the Century Council--a non-profit funded by the leading US alcohol distillers, including Bacardi U.S.A., Inc.; Brown-Forman; Constellation Brands, Inc.; DIAGEO; Future Brands LLC; Hood River Distillers, Inc.; and Sidney Frank Importing Co., Inc.

As reported in the Wall Street Journal, MADD has asked the Century Council to stop proclaiming they are a leader in the Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving on the Council’s website or any of its other marketing materials. The request came after discovering, among other things, that the Century Council has hindered MADD’s efforts to increase punishment for first time drunk drivers.

In fact, after the Century Council pledged to support legislation to mandate ignition interlocks, MADD discovered a letter from the Century Council to New Jersey’s Assembly’s Law and Public Safety Committee stating that they do not support ignition interlocks—one of many such statements to other legislative bodies.

June Tip of the Month

2009-06-03T13:29:00.002-04:00

When it’s time to celebrate with your teen, plan for everything:

· Talk with other parents/guardians about the party

· Explain your expectations for no alcohol

· Provide adult supervision

· Serve interesting refreshments

· No guests leaving the party & returning

Don’t forget!

If you see or hear about an underage drinking party, call your local law enforcement agency.

Your anonymous tip will help to make your community a safer place.

For more information, visit www.21reasons.org

Reminder!

2009-05-19T09:36:00.004-04:00

This Thursday, May 21, Dr. Dennis Embry, a nationally-renowned psychologist, will be speaking in South Portland about Raising Healthy Kids.

Registration is free, and childcare is provided. For more information visit the 21 Reasons website.

Please join us!

Local Heroes

2009-05-14T08:08:00.005-04:00

Liz Blackwell-Moore, Project Manager from the Communities Promoting Health Coalition at PROP, was on Channel 6 this weekend, talking about their new youtube video and how to prevent underage drinking.

Click the picture below to view the video:

Prom Season Prevention

2009-05-08T08:39:00.001-04:00

WMTW Channel 8 reports on prom-season underage drinking prevention efforts in Portland:

Home Alone

2009-05-05T08:58:00.008-04:00

A recent story on NPR’s Morning Edition covered the topic of when tweens can be left home alone:

It’s a balancing act for parents, trying to balance independence while providing effective parental monitoring skills. The conundrum for many parents is that they want to trust their kids to be home alone, yet many recall from their own teen years that inevitable tug toward the forbidden.

"They're looking for trouble, and exploring and pushing boundaries" says [William L. Coleman, professor of pediatrics at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill] "That's normal."

It's important for parents to recognize that there's a lot of variability among kids. Some will push the boundaries in reckless, dangerous ways, like experimenting with sex and drugs. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System says that more than 75 percent of high school students have experimented with alcohol, 38 percent report that they've tried marijuana, and 48 percent have had sex.

Coleman says the developing brain tends to get a little reward for risky business.
"Getting that rush of adrenaline, and then talking about it to your friends," says Coleman, "that's huge."

Studies show that late afternoons—the time after school and before parents get home from work—are the prime time for kids to try out forbidden behaviors, like drinking alcohol.

The Partnership for a Drug-Free America recommends:

The most important time of day to monitor is after school from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Kids are at the greatest risk for abusing drugs during these hours. Call your child's school to find out about adult-supervised activities he can take part in during these hours. Encourage her to get involved with youth groups, art or music programs, organized sports, community service or academic clubs. Follow up with your child to make sure he is actually going to the program he has chosen.

More parental monitoring tips are available here.

10 realities not reflected in the song "I love college"

2009-04-17T08:54:00.005-04:00

10 Realities Not Reflected in the Song “I Love College”

This is song by Asher Roth which is receiving a lot of play on radio, TV, and online--especially in programs geared towards young adults.

The song “I Love College” portrays concerning messages about high-risk alcohol use and its role in college life. High-risk drinking is a behavior which negatively impacts the health, safety, and success of many of Maine’s (and our nation’s) college students and communities.

While college drinking is an issue which warrants attention and evidence-based prevention and intervention strategies, it should be noted that the frequency and extreme nature of the alcohol use and related behaviors depicted in the song “I Love College” reflect the behavior of the minority, NOT the majority, of college students.

You may preview the music video at:
http://www.mtv.com/videos/asher-roth/339182/i-love-college.jhtml

You may read the song lyrics at:
http://www.elyricsworld.com/i_love_college_lyrics_asher_roth.html

Reality #1: 6 out of 10 students reported they had not had 6 or more drinks per occasion when (and if) they drank alcohol in the past month. 25% reported they had not consumed any alcohol in the past 30 days.*

This means that the song’s lyrics which make it seem like college students typically drink to the point of intense intoxication and/or passing out is not the reality- MOST never drink enough to get to this point.

Reality #2: 8 out of 10 students reported drinking alcohol on 5 or fewer days in the past 30 days.*

This means that the song’s lyrics which make it seem like college students drink heavily 2 or more times a week is not the reality of what MOST college students do.

Reality # 3: 8 out of 10 students reported that when (and if) they drank in the past 30 days, they typically took one or more measures to reduce their risk of becoming intoxicated- such as not drinking on an empty stomach, alternating between alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, limiting themselves to one or fewer drinks an hour, and keeping track of how many drinks they consumed.*

This means that the song’s depictions about competitive drinking are not reflective of what most college students are doing when (and if) they drink– and especially not at the frequency the song portrays.

Reality #4: 8 out of 10 students reported that in the past 30 days they had chosen not to drink alcohol at a party where it was present.*

This means that the song lyrics which make it seem like everyone at parties is really drunk is not accurate.

Reality # 5: 8 out of 10 reported they had not chugged alcohol in the past 30 days. 9 out of 10 had not funneled alcohol in past 30 days. Only 2 out of 10 reported playing table-top drinking games (i.e. beer-pong, beer-die, Beruit) on a weekly basis. About 50% do not regularly play these table drinking games: 25% of students reported never playing, and another 25% reported only playing a few times a year.*

This means that MOST college students are not engaging in competitive drinking when (and if) they use alcohol.

Reality #6: 8 out of 10 students reported that they had not consumed alcohol at a fraternity or sorority house in the past 30 days.*

This means that the song and video’s depiction of an Animal House -reminiscent frat party is not the setting MOST college students regularly drink alcohol in- if they drink at all.

Reality #7: 7 out of 10 students reported that the use of alcohol had not interfered with their academic performance.*

MOST college students don’t let drinking interfere with their efforts to work towards graduating.

Reality # 8: 8 out of 10 students reported they had not used marijuana in the past 30 days.*

This means that the lyrics which make it seem like most college students smoke pot regularly simply is not a reality.

Reality # 9: Most students – about 8 out of 10- reported they had not had sex in the past year with someone whom they were not previously in a relationship with.*

This means that the promiscuity referenced in the song is not behavior most college students typically engage in.

Reality # 10: Most students – over 9 out of 10- reported they had not gambled in the past 30 days.*

MOST college students don’t engage in poker despite it being shown as part of “college life” in the video.

* Based on preliminary analysis of a student survey conducted in 2008 which had over 6,000 Maine college students respond

For more information about college drinking, how to reduce it, or Maine’s Higher Education Alcohol Prevention Partnership, please e-mail HEAPP’s Director Becky Ireland at Rebecca.Ireland@maine.gov

Teen Star Fights Underage Drinking

2009-04-16T08:31:00.003-04:00

Among all of the confusing messages that youth get through mass media, it’s nice to see a teen icon speaking out against underage drinking.

Miley Cyrus is a 16-year-old singer and star of the Disney show Hannah Montana (and daughter of country singer Billy Ray Cyrus). The young entertainer, who performed on last night's American Idol results show, decries Hollywood producers' lack of attention to underage drinking.

Giving one obvious example, the 16-year-old Disney star tells Glamour magazine, "At one of my very first awards shows I ever did, there was a bottle of vodka in my gift bag." She goes on recalling, "No one cared that they were giving this to a 12-year-old."

We love it when celebrities use their powers for good!

Alcopops and parents

2009-04-10T11:07:00.004-04:00

More than one half of adults believe that alcopops promote underage drinking. That’s the result of a recent study by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation.

Alcopops are sweet, flavored alcoholic beverages that look and taste like soda, tea, punch, or lemonade. The labels on these drinks can be confusing, and even though they often have a higher alcohol content than beer, the product packaging may not even be clear that there is alcohol inside.

According to the survey, most adults support stricter laws regarding alcopops.

For more information about how alcohol is marketed to youth, visit the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth.

via Forbes Online

Binge drinking on the rise in France and England

2009-03-24T15:07:00.004-04:00

The French government is in the process of raising the Minimum Legal Drinking Age from 16 to 18; this would bring French laws into line with most of the rest of Europe.

The bill is part of a larger piece of legislation addressing health, and would not only stop beer and wine sales to youth under 18 (they are already banned from purchasing spirits and liquor), but would also outlaw open bars—which are linked to binge drinking—and outlaw the overnight sales of alcohol at gas stations.

While total alcohol consumption has fallen almost 50% in France over the past fifty years , the amount that young people drink has been steadily increasing.

The number of alcohol-induced hospitalizations for minors under age 15 grew 50 percent between 2004 and 2007

Other changes could be on the way for European drinking habits as well: Britain’s Chief Medical Officer Sir Liam Donaldson would like to set a minimum price on alcohol sales in the UK . The proposed price would be £1 for restaurants and pubs (about $1.45) and 50p in stores (about $0.73). Prime Minister Gordon Brown is not enthusiastic about the plan, despite the fact that binge drinking in England is also on the rise.

CBS Drops Ban on Liquor Ads

2009-03-13T16:34:00.003-04:00

Since 1996, network television stations have participated in a voluntary ban on liquor advertisements*. But on February 9, CBS effectively dropped its longstanding voluntary ban when CBS-owned stations and affiliates ran a prime-time promotion for Absolut vodka during the Grammy Awards show.

There was certainly a youth audience at this event, since performers at the 2009 Grammys included 16 year old Miley Cyrus, 18 year old Taylor Swift, and teen favorites the Jonas Brothers, who had just headlined the Disney Kids Inaugural Concert.

We are also concerned that, in their search for funding, network stations may continue to turn to liquor advertisements for income.

According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest:

Children and teens already view a disproportionately large number of alcohol ads on broadcast media that glamorizes and encourages drinking. In 2007, 12-20 year-old youths were exposed to 38% more alcohol advertisements than they were 6 years earlier. On average, teens are exposed to 301 television ads for alcohol annually, up from an average of 216 in 2001.
Young people’s awareness of alcohol directly translates into stronger intentions to drink as an adult. Studies as early as 1994 showed that alcohol advertising can predispose young people to drink.
In 2007, the liquor industry spent over $118 million on television ads, almost a 4,000% increase since 1999.3 Underage drinking increased during that same time period.

Let the local and national CBS stations know about your concern by contacting them. Some talking points are here, and some more background on the issue here .

*Prior to 1996 the ban was legally mandated.

NBA allows liquor advertising

2009-03-03T09:27:00.003-05:00

First, it was yet another beer-ad soaked football season. Now the NBA has voted to expand its advertising to hard liquor. For those of you who have tried to watch a sporting event on tv with the kids, you already know most commercials wouldn’t fly on most youth programming. Yet there you are on the couch with your impressionable teen watching the good times to be had with scantily clad women and lots and lots of beer.

What, no cigarette ads? Oh, right, they banned those years ago. How? Because lots and lots of people complained.

Here’s your chance to act against the onslaught of alcohol advertising bombarding our youth. Please pass this along.

http://takeaction.cspinet.org/campaign/nbaliquorads

In the News

2009-02-26T16:23:00.002-05:00

There are two local news items we’d like to bring to your attention today.

The first is this week’s sentencing of former Deering High School coach Frank Watson and his wife Kimberly. The two were convicted on Monday of furnishing a place for minors to consume liquor, and Watson was additionally charged with furnishing liquor to minors. The sentences include jail time for Mr. Watson, community service for Mrs. Watson, and fines for them both.

This story has helped to highlight the important part that adults play in preventing underage drinking--particularly adults who serve as role models to youth. The story has also highlighted some deeply entrenched cultural values that are harming today’s youth—for example, that teen drinking is a harmless and inevitable “rite of passage.”

Thankfully, we know today that early drinking can have long term effects on youths’ brains, as well as increase the risk of alcohol dependency later in life). We also know that underage drinking is completely preventable.

Adult role modeling is an important part of the community prevention effort, and we encourage all adults to think about the effect that their implied consent can have on young people.

The second item was covered by WCSH6 yesterday: a new bill introduced to Congress to support the 21 Minimum Legal Drinking Age.

The Support 21 Act of 2009 (HR 1028) authorizes a new highly visible media campaign to educate the public about underage drinking laws and build support for their enforcement. It asks the National Academy of Sciences to provide a report to Congress about the influence of drinking alcohol on the development of the adolescent brain.

This seems especially timely in light of the recent news piece on 60 Minutes about the MLDA. You can track the status of the bill here or check back with us, as we’ll keep you posted on its status and let you know when offering support to your representative will be most helpful.

60 Minutes on the MLDA

2009-02-25T10:23:00.002-05:00

Sunday night's coverage on 60 Minutes (you can watch it here ) of the conversation about the Minimum Legal Drinking Age (MLDA) was disappointing, to say the least. The piece unfortunately framed the discussion as a debate between John McCardell, former president of Middlebury College, and Chuck Hurley, Executive Director of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD). While the news program accurately represented McCardell's view as an unpopular and unlikely one, it also showed some disturbing support for his ideas.

Their biggest mistake was the repeated footage showing young people--some as young as 15--drinking, interacting with police and EMTs, and involved in alcohol-related car crashes. It the show's producers were trying to demonstrate consequences to watching youth, they were misguided: these tactics are proven to have no impact on youth drinking rates, and in some cases may actually increase them.

The arguments were presented lopsidedly as well, allowing McCardell and other supporters of an 18 MLDA, to repeatedly call the current law "unenforceable," an "abysmal failure," and linking the law to the extreme drinking that goes on at college.

While Hurley was allowed some rebuttal, arguing that changing the law would push the problem down to high school students, and demonstrating support by an influential list of specialists and officials, it seems that an opportunity was missed to talk about how alcohol affects the development of young adult brains, how early drinking leads to greater risk of alcoholism, and looking at our social culture that allows and encourages unhealthy drinking.

Click here for the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism's recommendation for changing the culture of drinking at US colleges and universities.

What did you think of the 60 Minutes piece? Post your thoughts in the comments below, or email them to 21reasons@mcd.org and we will continue the conversation online.

60 Minutes takes on the drinking age

2009-02-20T12:36:00.004-05:00

According to their website, this Sunday on 60 Minutes,

Lesley Stahl examines the debate over lowering the drinking age to 18, a controversial idea embraced by some people and roundly criticized by groups like Mothers Against Drunk Driving. Ruth Streeter is the producer.

The show airs at 7pm EST on CBS.

We'll be watching with interest to see how 60 Minutes portrays this very important countrywide conversation—and check back with us Monday for our response!

Learn more about the Amethyst Initiative and why it's critical that the drinking age remain at 21 at our website: www.21reasons.org/mlda21.html

Alcohol use among teens decreasing

2009-02-18T09:36:00.005-05:00

Monitoring the Future is an ongoing national study of the "behaviors, attitudes, and values" of American youth. The organization has been collecting data since 1975.

The 2008 Monitoring the Future study shows that alcohol use among teens has decreased 40% since it peaked in the 1990's.

According to the Underage Drinking Enforcement Training Center,

The study indicates that the decline in use among 8th graders may well be linked to a decline in reported availability. The report stated that in 1996, 8th graders reported that 75 percent could find alcohol if they wanted to, but the 2008 numbers show just 64 percent could gain access to alcohol. The report further stated that declines are smaller for older students. (link)

The full study is available here.

If you'd like to keep these numbers going down, or are concerned about underage drinking, find out about your local prevention coalition, or contact 21 Reasons in Portland, ME.

Casco Bay Community Survey

2009-02-13T09:11:00.002-05:00

Are you part of the Casco Bay community? This includes the Maine towns of Cumberland, Falmouth, Freeport, Gray, New Gloucester, North Yarmouth, and Yarmouth.

If so, we want to hear from YOU! Please click here to take an important Casco Bay community opinion survey

February Tip of the Month

2009-02-13T08:38:00.008-05:00

Tween Store Selling Flasks

2009-02-11T08:03:00.006-05:00

WCSH6 is reporting this morning that the tween- and teen-oriented accessories store, Icing by Claire's, is selling flasks.

View the news report here.

Liz Blackwell-Moore, substance abuse prevention program manager at PROP, is putting together a letter to send to the management of Claire's to protest the sales.

You can send your own letter to:
Manager
Icing by Claire's
318 Maine Mall #A
South Portland, ME 04106

or to:
Claire's Stores Inc.
3 S.W. 129th Avenue
Pembroke Pines, FL 33027

(EDIT 2/13: The video was originally embedded in the post, but the WCSH site has it set to autoplay, so the embedded video was replaced by a link.)

Free the Bowl Winners!

2009-02-02T13:40:00.006-05:00

The winners of this year's Free the Bowl Contest have been announced!

In response to an avalanche of alcohol ads that appear during the Superbowl, the Marin Institute sponsored a contest in which youth produced ads promoting a "free the bowl from alcohol advertising" message.

This contest is timely: the 2009 Superbowl advertising lineup included beer ads that featured talking horses, a circus and clowns, summer parties, and slapstick comedy. These alcohol advertisements were intermingled with ads for PG-rated movies, theme parks, sugared breakfast cereal, and soft drinks.

The three winners' ads are below:

First prize winner Jeremiah Golden of New Hampshire, video:

The submission from second prize winner Jonathan Reed of California:

And from third prize winner Eric Shaughnessy, from Maryland:

NCAA’s alcohol advertising policy “flimsy”

2009-01-22T13:02:00.003-05:00

The Center for Science in the Public Interest has called for the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) to further restrict its alcohol advertising policy. The nonprofit compared advertising shown during the NCAA’s “Final Four” games and advertising shown during the Bowl Championship Series (BCS). The results demonstrated that

"a higher percentage of beer ads appeared during the 2008 NCAA “Final Four” than during the 2009 BCS games. We found that 12% of all ads aired during the three NCAA “Final Four” games promoted beer, and beer represented the 2^ndmost advertised product category. In contrast, only 6% of all BCS game ads we monitored promoted beer, which was the 7^thmost-advertised product category."

Sports events are some of the most closely youth-watched television, and present an important opportunity for sports figures to role model for youth. “Collaborating with beer marketers and broadcasters to push beer consumption,” says NCIS, “undermines any prevention messages and demeans the missions of higher education and college athletics.” In addition, research has linked teens’ exposure to alcohol advertising with more frequent and heavier drinking.

More than 1/3 of NCAA member schools have signed a pledge to eliminate alcohol advertising from college sports. Doing so would help to create a safe, positive, alcohol-free environment for youth and college students on the screen and in the stadium.

(via JT Direct)

Retailer density linked to adolescent binge drinking

2009-01-20T10:06:00.002-05:00

A new study published online this month in the American Journal of Public Health suggests that binge drinking and drinking and driving among 12-17 year olds is “significantly associated with the presence of alcohol retailers” within a half mile of their home.

"Our study suggests that living in close proximity to alcohol outlets is a risk factor for youth," according to the researchers. "In California, retail licenses are not typically approved within 100 feet of a residence or within 600 feet of schools, public playgrounds and nonprofit youth facilities, but proximity by itself is not sufficient to deny a license ... More attention on the proximity rule is needed and environmental interventions need to curb opportunities for youth to get alcohol from commercial sources."

(via Join Together)

Maine Statute requires that liquor retailers be located at least 300’ away from schools, except in downtown areas. Perhaps not coincidentally, Portland has a 32% higher binge drinking rate among teens than the State of Maine, according to the 2008 MYDAUS results; in urban areas, alcohol outlets are in closer proximity to places where youth congregate.

This study underscores the need for extra caution in reviewing liquor license applications for locations close to places where youth live, study, and play.

ANFSCD, how 2 KIT w/yr kid w/TXT n IM

2009-01-08T09:25:00.002-05:00

Some new research from the Partnership for a Drug-Free America and MetLife Foundation shows that nearly 25% of all teens would prefer to have a serious conversation about drug and alcohol use over email or text message. Only three percent of parents would choose to communicate with their kids this way.

While face to face conversation is most teens’ choice for this kind of communication, parents might be missing a big opportunity if they don’t embrace new technology.

Parents who are waiting for the "right time" to talk with their kids about drugs and alcohol may be missing everyday opportunities to connect on this important issue, said Steve Pasierb, president and CEO of the Partnership. "While nothing can take the place of an in-person conversation between parents and teens, for some parents, emails, cell phone conversations, and even texting can help start a conversation with a reluctant teen and reinforce talks you've already had--plus, parents can reach teens at times when use tends to be likelier--after school, on weekends and during unsupervised time."

The survey underscores that "Generation Text" has arrived -- when asked which was more important for everyday communication with friends, texting or social networking; teens were far more likely to communicate directly by texting (63 percent) than to rely on websites like Facebook (38 percent) to stay connected. And teens don't only want to hear from their friends. A majority of teens -- 67 percent -- were open to receiving texts from their parents after school -- a time when teens are most likely to be unsupervised. For many parents, texting may be an additional tool for monitoring and staying in touch with teens.

For parents who are nervous about using technology, Partnership for a Drug Free America publishes a free how-to text guide (.pdf) and a list of 7 Ways to Connect With Your Teen Using Technology. There are several TXT MSG translations available online.

New Year, New Beginning

2009-01-02T09:46:00.005-05:00

The beginning of 2009 brings a fantastic opportunity to start practicing new behaviors. Experts recommend that we start small when making changes, so here are a few things that you can do in five minutes or less to help prevent underage drinking:

Say thank you.
Encourage those who are already helping to make a difference. Thank the convenience store clerk for carding you; thank parents for hosting alcohol-free parties; thank business owners for removing alcohol ads that might appeal to kids.

Watch yourself.
Pay attention to how you react to alcohol advertisements, and how you talk about alcohol around youth. Sometimes we send mixed messages without even thinking about it.

Speak up.
Give a voice to the silent majority by letting peers know how you feel. We can all support each other—parent to parent, teen to teen, business owner to business owner.

Know the facts.
Check out these websites to stay up to date on the latest research and strategies:
US Surgeon General's groundbreaking Call to Action to Prevent Underage Drinking
Marin Institute, an alcohol industry watchdog
Stop Alcohol Abuse, a portal of Federal resources for information on underage drinking

Talk it up.
Share what you learn with friends, family, neighbors, and colleagues.

Google adds liquor to advertising lineup

2008-12-19T14:05:00.003-05:00

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

2008-12-19T13:58:00.004-05:00

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

2008-12-18T09:29:00.004-05:00

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

2008-12-11T10:15:00.005-05:00

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

2008-12-08T10:28:00.003-05:00

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

2008-11-20T07:54:00.006-05:00

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"

2008-11-12T08:28:00.015-05:00

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

2008-11-05T09:56:00.003-05:00

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

2008-10-23T13:10:00.003-04:00

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

2008-10-20T10:13:00.002-04:00

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

2008-10-14T09:40:00.001-04:00

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

2008-10-08T12:09:00.000-04:00

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!

2008-10-06T14:06:00.000-04:00

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

2008-09-29T08:38:00.000-04:00

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.

2008-08-11T10:03:00.000-04:00

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.