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.
Showing posts with label alcohol advertising. Show all posts
Showing posts with label alcohol advertising. Show all posts
An extraordinary year for prevention
The manager of the Washington State Coalition to Reduce Underage Drinking (RUaD) emailed prevention advocates the following message this morning:2010: An Extraordinary Year for Prevention
Yes, it has been a remarkable year for public policies that help reduce underage drinking. Collaborative efforts among key state agencies, statewide organizations, local prevention groups, and individual citizens brought a heightened awareness of underage drinking.
Highlights:
The 2010 legislature placed a tax on malt beverages. Research is very clear that the more prices go up, the less young people consume. Legislators heard from the prevention community and they acted.
The WA State Liquor Control Board spent enormous effort reviewing and revising the alcohol advertising regulations but it was critical to hear from the public. Over 500 local citizens and organizations urged the LCB to strengthen the regulations. Many young people and adults testified at hearings. This was the strongest statement from the prevention community they have ever seen.
And on the election front, the citizens of the state turned back an effort to privatize the sale of alcohol. The LCB’s role was to provide accurate information to anyone who asked, but a coalition of interest groups, including strong prevention groups, came together to help the public understand this issue. Again, the prevention voice was heard, this time by the voting public.
And most recently, the LCB banned the sale of alcohol energy drinks. There was an outcry from the general public, researchers, and yes, the prevention community to take this action.
Job Well Done!
Yes, it has been a remarkable year for public policies that help reduce underage drinking. Collaborative efforts among key state agencies, statewide organizations, local prevention groups, and individual citizens brought a heightened awareness of underage drinking.
Highlights:
The 2010 legislature placed a tax on malt beverages. Research is very clear that the more prices go up, the less young people consume. Legislators heard from the prevention community and they acted.
The WA State Liquor Control Board spent enormous effort reviewing and revising the alcohol advertising regulations but it was critical to hear from the public. Over 500 local citizens and organizations urged the LCB to strengthen the regulations. Many young people and adults testified at hearings. This was the strongest statement from the prevention community they have ever seen.
And on the election front, the citizens of the state turned back an effort to privatize the sale of alcohol. The LCB’s role was to provide accurate information to anyone who asked, but a coalition of interest groups, including strong prevention groups, came together to help the public understand this issue. Again, the prevention voice was heard, this time by the voting public.
And most recently, the LCB banned the sale of alcohol energy drinks. There was an outcry from the general public, researchers, and yes, the prevention community to take this action.
Job Well Done!
A few things about what teens see on tv
Increased youth exposure to tv alcohol adsAccording to a report by the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, youth exposure to alcohol advertising increased 71% between 2001-2009. The report goes on to say:
Despite efforts of alcohol companies to strengthen their self-regulatory standards, the average number of ads seen by youth watching television increased from 217 in 2001 to 366 in 2009, or one alcohol ad per day.
In 2003, the trade associations representing beer and distilled spirits companies joined the wine industry in committing to place ads only when the underage audience composition is 30 percent or less. Their previous threshold had been 50 percent.
The report shows that the rise of distilled spirits advertising on cable television is driving the increase. Youth exposure to distilled spirits advertising grew by nearly 3,000 percent from 2001 to 2009, primarily on cable. The majority of youth exposure to alcoholic beverage advertising on cable occurred on programming that youth ages 12 to 20 were more likely to be watching than adults 21 and above.
What can parents do?
The Too Smart to Start website contains information for parents about media literacy and helping teenagers decipher what they see and hear so that they can resist pressures from advertising.
Alcohol ads during the Super Bowl
In an effort to increase awareness of this issue, the Marin Institute is hosting its annual Free the Bowl video contest for youth. The campaign is in response to the many alcohol ads broadcast during the Super Bowl, an event watched by an estimated 30 million underage youth.
The effects of media on teenagers
Earlier this year, Dr. Victor Strausburger spoke at Children's Hospital about "What every pediatrician and parent SHOULD know about the effects of media on adolescents."
Exposure to alcohol ads a risk factor for underage and binge drinking
A recent study, published in Preventive Medicine, bolsters the findings of previous research that show that there is an association between youth exposure to alcohol ads and alcohol use among teens, including binge drinking.
Show your support for reducing youth exposure to alcohol ads
Thanks in part to input from anti-drug coalitions, the Washington State Liquor Control Board adopted new alcohol advertising rules in April to reduce the amount of ads that young people are exposed to in our communities.We can, once again, show our support for a reduction in alcohol advertising by signing a Let's Draw the Line Commitment Card. Print and sign a card, get other people you know to sign them, too, and send them to the Prevention WINS coordinator. Our cards will join cards signed by other advocates and raise awareness about alcohol advertising and youth.
For information about alcohol marketing and youth, visit http://www.camy.org/.
Keeping booze ads out of kids' faces
If we believe advertising works, then the Washington State Liquor Control Board is ready to make a smart move.
From "The Olympian" opinion page:
"The proposed rules eliminate such alcohol marketing from our smaller ball fields, such as where Little League teams play. Under these rules, the minimum distance these ads can be from schools, day cares, public parks, etc. is set at no less than 500 feet."
More coverage on KING5.com, "State considers curbing liquor ads"
From "The Olympian" opinion page:
"The proposed rules eliminate such alcohol marketing from our smaller ball fields, such as where Little League teams play. Under these rules, the minimum distance these ads can be from schools, day cares, public parks, etc. is set at no less than 500 feet."
More coverage on KING5.com, "State considers curbing liquor ads"
Statewide prevention activities highlighted in May edition of FOCUS
Check out the May edition of FOCUS, the Division of Alcohol & Substance Abuse's newsletter. It includes articles about:
2009-11 Budget, Policy, and Organizational Changes;
Youth See Fewer Alcohol Ads During Final Four;
Naches Valley Students Challenge Alcohol Service at Mat Classic;
Reducing Youth Exposure to Alcohol Marketing;
Prevention Posters Appear in Liquor Stores.
2009-11 Budget, Policy, and Organizational Changes;
Youth See Fewer Alcohol Ads During Final Four;
Naches Valley Students Challenge Alcohol Service at Mat Classic;
Reducing Youth Exposure to Alcohol Marketing;
Prevention Posters Appear in Liquor Stores.
Bill would eliminate 10% markup on alcohol
Washington State House Bill 2040 would
-- permit, under certain conditions, financial interests between liquor manufacturers, distributors, and retailers (the three tiers of liquor control).
-- authorize liquor manufacturers and distributors to provide promotional items to retailers.
-- eliminates the mandatory ten percent minimum mark-up for beer and wine manufacturers to charge distributors and for distributors to charge retailers.
From an underage drinking prevention standpoint, this legislation is troubling.
The Food Marketing Institute recognizes that "low markup to stimulate high volume is the fundamental principle of mass merchandising." What this means is that eliminating the mandatory 10% markup on alcohol will create cheap prices that help the alcohol industry push high volumes. Research shows that higher alcohol prices reduce underage drinking rates. In fact, prevention advocates push for increasing alcohol taxes as a proven way to reduce underage drinking.
Promotional items are forms of advertisement. The impact alcohol advertising has on children should be considered when debating this bill. A brand new study by Dartmouth College shows that teens who own alcohol-related hats, t-shirts, and posters are more likely to become binge drinkers.
-- permit, under certain conditions, financial interests between liquor manufacturers, distributors, and retailers (the three tiers of liquor control).
-- authorize liquor manufacturers and distributors to provide promotional items to retailers.
-- eliminates the mandatory ten percent minimum mark-up for beer and wine manufacturers to charge distributors and for distributors to charge retailers.
From an underage drinking prevention standpoint, this legislation is troubling.
The Food Marketing Institute recognizes that "low markup to stimulate high volume is the fundamental principle of mass merchandising." What this means is that eliminating the mandatory 10% markup on alcohol will create cheap prices that help the alcohol industry push high volumes. Research shows that higher alcohol prices reduce underage drinking rates. In fact, prevention advocates push for increasing alcohol taxes as a proven way to reduce underage drinking.
Promotional items are forms of advertisement. The impact alcohol advertising has on children should be considered when debating this bill. A brand new study by Dartmouth College shows that teens who own alcohol-related hats, t-shirts, and posters are more likely to become binge drinkers.
Watch this . . .
. . . a KING5-TV segment on teenagers, alcohol, and drugs. It mostly focuses on television advertisements for alcohol and how they affect teenagers. However, if you watch it to the end, you'll hear, from students themselves, about how easy it is to get drugs and alcohol.Speaking of alcohol advertising . . . please scroll down to the second post from March 11 about how people like you and I can comment on changes the Liquor Control Board is considering regarding alcohol advertising in our communities. As people who are interested in preventing underage drinking, it's important the the Liquor Control Board hears from us!
Comment on alcohol advertising in WA
The citizens of Washington have a rare opportunity to comment on and potentially impact alcohol advertising in our state. The Washington State Liquor Control Board is reviewing Chapter 314-52 WAC - Advertising and is inviting public comment.
Areas up for discussion include:
-- Adding a regulation that significantly limits the amount of advertising on the outside and in the immediate vicinity of a retail establishment;
-- Adding a regulation that specifically limits the amount of advertising placed on both the inside and outside of windows;
-- Prohibiting sponsorship of events in public venues such as parks, street fairs, government buildings, or at community festivals;
-- Prohibiting alcohol advertising in all college media.
People who work in the substance abuse prevention field have created a document providing information about alcohol advertising and these regulation changes. It is available through the Prevention WINS website in its "What's New" box.
Comments on these proposed changes may contact the Liquor Control Board before March 20 one of the following ways:
By mail:
Rules Coordinator, Liquor Control Board
P.O. Box 43080
Olympia, WA 98504-3080
By email: rules@liq.wa.gov
By fax: 360-664-9689
Areas up for discussion include:
-- Adding a regulation that significantly limits the amount of advertising on the outside and in the immediate vicinity of a retail establishment;
-- Adding a regulation that specifically limits the amount of advertising placed on both the inside and outside of windows;
-- Prohibiting sponsorship of events in public venues such as parks, street fairs, government buildings, or at community festivals;
-- Prohibiting alcohol advertising in all college media.
People who work in the substance abuse prevention field have created a document providing information about alcohol advertising and these regulation changes. It is available through the Prevention WINS website in its "What's New" box.
Comments on these proposed changes may contact the Liquor Control Board before March 20 one of the following ways:
By mail:
Rules Coordinator, Liquor Control Board
P.O. Box 43080
Olympia, WA 98504-3080
By email: rules@liq.wa.gov
By fax: 360-664-9689
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