Alcohol industry's self regulation of marketing to youth to be studied

The Federal Trade Commission plans to begin a study of the self-regulatory efforts of the alcoholic beverage industry. This will serve as the basis for the FTC’s fourth major report on the effectiveness of voluntary industry guidelines for reducing advertising and marketing to underage audiences by beer, wine, and distilled spirits manufacturers.


In response, the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth (CAMY) released a statement that included:

The FTC last looked at this issue in 2008. Since then, CAMY has released several reports showing the inadequacy of the industry’s current threshold for placing advertising that reaches underage audiences. Our most recent TV report found that youth exposure to alcohol advertising in that medium actually increased faster than either young adult (ages 21 to 34) or adult exposure since the adoption of the industry’s current standard. While monitoring industry’s compliance with their advertising codes is welcome, the current standards do not protect young people from overexposure to alcohol advertising.

Prevention Action features local prevention scientist and the early days of social development research

Most of the substance abuse prevention work we do today is based on the Social Development Strategy developed by Richard Catalano and David Hawkins, co-founders of the UW Social Development Research Group.  The most recent edition of Prevention Action, an online publication reporting internationally on programs for improving children's health and development, includes a story about Dr. Catalano and the research he started in the 1970's. 

When they first started working together . . . Catalano and Hawkins were both convinced that a lot more could be done to prevent drug-use and delinquency occurring in the first place, before it exacted its toll on young people’s social development, education and subsequent employment.

Catalano says: “We wanted to shift services from rehabilitation to habilitation; rather than fixing established problems we wanted to equip children with the skills and resources so that they don’t engage in drugs and delinquency behavior in the first place, and to help create family, school and community environments that support this.”

The full article, along with other prevention-related articles, may be read on the Prevention Action website.

MT coalitions work to repeal medical marijuana law

A bill to repeal Montana's medical marijuana program has been approved by their state legislature and is awaiting the signature of their governor. Fifteen states (including Washington) and the District of Columbia have passed laws in favor of medical marijuana. If the bill passes, Montana would be the first state to repeal medical marijuana.

Montana coalitions came together to push for the repeal.  A medical marijuana primer was produced to educate lawmakers and fellow health advocates.  They also:

• visited lawmakers at the capital, Helena, early in the legislative session;
• distributed flyers describing youth use and the effects of marijuana on the teen brain;
• emailed, called and sent letters to policymakers;
• pinpointed setbacks in the current medical marijuana law and made suggestions to policymakers as they drafted a reform bill;
• collaborated with other group to create a united front, and a consistent argument;
• sent information to the media;
• responded to medical marijuana articles in a community forum on the newspaper blog;
• presented evidence as a panelist on medical marijuana repeal;
• began a statewide coalition to address policies related to drugs and alcohol.

Montana’s medical marijuana laws have created an environment favorable to drug use as marijuana becomes less taboo, coailtions testified. With dispensaries lining their streets and more than 28,000 cardholders in a state with a population of only 974,989, marijuana use among their youth is slowly rising. Coalitions also testified that youth are obtaining marijuana illegally from legal medical marijuana card holders. 

Though it is expected that the governor will veto the repeal, there is a reform bill on its heels.

Chipping away at strong alcohol regulations that discourage underage drinking

Alcohol sure seems to be a hot topic in the Washington legislature.  In addition to SB 5917 that I blogged about yesterday that would allow for sales of hard alcohol in some urban grocery stores, lawmakers are considering/passing other legislation that chip away at alcohol regulations.

Legislature says: Drink up!  (Seattle PI): The state Senate on Tuesday passed House Bill 1465, which modifies liquor laws to, among other things, allow people to purchase “growlers” of beer from beer and wine specialty shops. “Growlers” are containers people bring into a business to be filled right from the tap. The Senate also passed House Bill 1172, which would allow some beer and wine tasting at farmer’s markets. And the chamber passed House Bill 1227 , which allows restaurants to waive “corkage” fees, which customers pay to drink wine they bring in themselves.

Meanwhile, a new budget plan released by the House includes a proposal to privatize the wholesale distribution of liquor in the state, while retaining control of retail sales through liquor stores. 

From an underage drinking prevention standpoint, this is not good news.  Check out the Resource Brief that the University of Washington's Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute developed during last year's debate about privatizing alcohol sales.  Findings from multiple studies show that:

-- Perceived availability of alcohol increases the probability of underage purchases and consumption of alcohol.

-- College students who attend schools in states with four or more alcohol control laws are less likely to drink than students in states with fewer laws. 

-- The more stringent the alcohol laws, especially laws affecting availability and marketing, the less likely young people are to drink and the higher the age of first use. 

While none of the legislation would fully privatize or deregulate alcohol, they certainly chip away at laws that help keep alcohol out of the hands of minors.

Parent guide to preventing underage drinking

Check out this Parent Guide to Preventing Underage Drinking from the Richmond Times-Dispatch.  It includes information on the affect of alcohol on the developing teenage brain.

Another attempt to allow the sale of liquor in grocery stores

Today, the Washington State Senate Ways & Means Committee is hearing comments about SB 5917 which would allow the Liquor Control Board to implement a pilot project appointing up to ten urban grocery stores to include state-run liquor sales.  In other words, this bill would allow hard alcohol to be sold in urban grocery stores that currently are only allowed to sell beer and wine. 

Even though two liquor privatization initiatives were rejected by Washingtonians in November, the issue is not going away any time soon.  This bill attempts to get the process of privatization started by allowing the sale of hard alcohol in grocery stores.

A CDC task force on reducing excess alcohol consumption and underage drinking recommends several strategies including regulating how many places can sell alcohol and limiting the days and hours alcohol can be sold.  If hard alcohol is sold in grocery stores, many which are open 24/7, these proven ways of reducing excessive and underage alcohol consumption would be eliminated.

At the end of Prohibition, state regulations allowed for the sale of beer in grocery stores because it contained a relatively low amount of alcohol.  The sale of liquor was restricted to liquor stores as a way to reduce access to products with higher alcohol content.  More information about why alcohol regulation is good for public health is available at The Campaign for a Healthy Alcohol Marketplace.

Engaging youth in substance abuse prevention activities

The Prevention WINS Youth Engagement Committee met for the first time earlier today at Eckstein Middle School.  The committee agreed that its purpose is to:

1. Increase youth substance abuse prevention activities in NE Seattle;
2. Establish a youth voice in the coalition;
3. Networking and sharing among youth group students and adults.

Upcoming activities include:

• Bringing at least a dozen NE Seattle students to the annual Washington State Prevention Summit in Yakima. 
• Hosting a community-wide family event to promote positive youth development.

The Youth Engagement Committee will meet the first Tuesday of every month at 8 a.m.  The next meeting will take place on May 3, 8 a.m., at Nathan Hale High School.  Meetings are open to anyone interested in working with adolescents to prevent youth substance abuse.

Outreach to retailers

The Prevention WINS Retail Outreach Workgroup met for the first time yesterday, April 4. 

The workgroup decided to send letters to the 80 stores that sell alcohol in northeast Seattle about the high underage drinking rates in our community and asking them to place window clings (pictured at left) on their beer refrigerators.  Since most teenagers in our community report getting alcohol "at a party" or from older friends and siblings, the window clings remind people of possible legal consequences associated with buying alcohol for minors.

The window clings are part of the Let's Draw the Line campaign developed by RUaD -- the Washington State Coalition to Reduce Underage Drinking. 

The next Retail Outreach Workgroup meeting will take place May 9, 10 a.m., at Seattle Children's.  More workgroup members are needed . . . anyone interested in reducing youth access to alcohol in northeast Seattle is invited to participate. 

Free prevention materials can be ordered online

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has a new online publications store where you can order free behavioral health resources, including manuals, brochures, videos, and public service announcements.

One of my favorite publications is Navigating the Teen Years: A Parent's Handbook for Raising Healthy Teens.  Below is an Above the Influence poster that is available through the SAMHSA store:

April is Alcohol Awareness Month

This April marks the 25th anniversary of Alcohol Awareness Month.  This year's theme is "One Too Many”, highlighting the impact that alcohol, alcohol-related problems and alcoholism have on individuals, families and children, and in the workplace.  The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence has a free guide for schools, parents, students, religious organizations, and media for planning awareness activities.