Attorneys general from 24 states, including Washington, have asked the U.S. Federal Trade Commission to do more to shield teenagers from alcohol advertising. A letter, written by the Utah Attorney General and signed by colleagues from 23 other states, proposes a three-step plan to regulate teens’ exposure to alcohol ads.
The letter proposes that data collection from alcohol advertisers about how they advertise, sell and market alcohol be ongoing instead of intermittent. The attorneys general also recommend that advertising be barred when more than 15 percent of the audience is between the ages of 12 and 20, and that data about alcohol advertising be collected for digital and social media marketing, such as blogs and corporate-sponsored social media sites.
Underage drinking is a community problem that requires a community-wide solution. The advocacy efforts of these attorneys general join a variety of activities being implemented in local communities and around the nation with the goal of preventing underage drinking. Everyone has a role to play.
