This week in Arizona, on the occasion of Beer Business Daily’s Beer Summit, I delivered a speech that addressed a number of issues facing the beverage alcohol industry today. I covered a lot of ground but I think the most critical component of this speech was Diageo’s call for all the industry’s companies and their associations to rally in support for the FTC’s “We Don’t Serve Teens” campaign.

This campaign, which was unveiled in October by the FTC and The Century Council, aims to educate adults on the ramifications of providing alcohol to minors. We, at Diageo, have already endorsed this campaign and recognize the importance of its message: don’t provide alcohol to those under the legal drinking age. It’s irresponsible and it’s dangerous. If all the members of our industry unite to spread this message, imagine how loud our voice will be and how far our message will travel!

Our distributor in Arizona, Alliance Beverage Distributing Co., is just as excited about this campaign as we are. Robert Smith, President of Alliance Beverage said: “We are excited to work with Diageo on tackling this significant issue and we are looking forward to partnering with retailers here in Arizona and across the nation to spread the message that ‘We Don’t Serve Teens.’”

Curbing underage drinking is the responsibility of all of us, as beverage alcohol companies and citizens of this country. I hope America’s beverage alcohol industry, from the suppliers, distributors, retailers to all the beer companies, wine companies and  spirit companies heed our call and take this meaningful step to help spread the message that “We Don’t Serve Teens” and neither should YOU. We need to join forces on this issue. Operating in a vacuum simply won’t work. But together, as a united front, we can fight this battle head-on.

Cheers!

guy

A recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and published in the January 2007 issue of Pediatrics, Binge Drinking and Associated Health Risk Behaviors Among High School Students, states that “binge drinking is the most common pattern of alcohol consumption among high school youth who drink alcohol and is strongly associated with a wide range of other health risk behaviors.” 

Although we know that youth use of alcohol for 8th, 10th and 12th graders was down across the board over the last five years, according to the 2006 Monitoring the Future survey, and current drinking (past 30 days) among 12th graders is at the lowest level since the study began in 1975, and is down 14% since 1997, underage drinking remains an important issue that needs to be addressed.

So the question for parents is, “what can we do?”

And the answer I’d offer is that there are MANY things you can do.  Consider one expert’s opinion: Richard Gallagher, Ph.D., Director of the Parenting Institute and Thriving Teens Project believes that “parents remain the greatest influence over their children’s behavior.”

Among the tips  Dr. Gallagher offers parents:

1) Clearly state what actions you expect your teen to take when confronted with substance use.
2) Talk about the alcohol use that your children observe.
3) Limit the access your children have to substances.

The Century Council, funded by Diageo and other spirits companies, addresses the issue of underage drinking and drunk driving. In its Underage Drinking Worksheet, The Century Council also points out the importance of parental involvement:
A qualitative research study conducted by Amica Insurance confirmed that teenagers whose parents talk with them versus talk at them might be less at risk to engage in harmful behavior involving alcohol. What’s more, teens said they would be more apt not to drink and drive if they had heard directly from their parents how important they are to them.

When it comes down to it, a lot of this advice boils down to talking to your kids and being involved in their lives.

If you’re looking for a good starting point, check out some resources offered by The Century Council that can help parents talk to their children about underage drinking.  Girl Talk,  Ask, Listen, and Learn,   and Parents, you’re not done yet.  are some of the programs available on The Century Council web site that give parents the tools that will assist them in their conversations with their children.

After working the issue of how flavored beers are classified for a few years now, I find, unfortunately, that most of what I read about the issue is incorrect.  Journalists making obvious mistakes, such as how these products are manufactured.  Worse yet, they seem to swallow whatever the anti-alcohol advocates feed them, and do not do their own research.  Imagine my surprise when I read the following article that asks the questions that deserve to be, but as of yet, have not been asked by the media establishment.  I was even more surprised to learn that it was a college paper, the University of California, San Diego.  I applaud the author for his research into this subject and his unbiased approach.  I can only hope that he takes it with him where ever he lands after college.

It’s pretty frustrating when some of the most “reputable” scientific institutions in our country lead us astray…and then, when their methodology is debunked, they correct themselves…but they do so very quietly. 

Case in point: The American Medical Association published an erroneous survey in March 2006 about underage drinking claiming that girls were drinking excessively on college spring break tours.  A shocking finding…if it were true. 

The study was a non-random Internet poll of volunteers.  And of those volunteers, only about 27% had even BEEN on spring break! Nevertheless, the Associated Press jumped on it without even a question as to the validity of the methodology and proceeded to run a story on the “findings” shortly after the release of the study. 

 Fortunately, we have watchdogs out there like the American Association for Public Opinion Research and Mystery Pollster that caught this study and exposed the AMA for their deceptive findings. Though the AMA eventually modified its release, the amendments were hardly publicized and, of course, garnered MUCH less attention then the initial study.

You may be asking yourself why I’m writing about this in January of 2007, nearly one year later.I’ll tell you why: the drama goes on. 

The Columbia Journalism Review and the AP have been bickering over the AP’s role in perpetuating this bogus study on the pages of the Review.  Last month, the CJR wrote a “dart” criticizing the AP’s “delayed reaction and impaired judgment” on this study.  The latest chapter unfolds in the January/February issue in which the AP responds in a Letter to the Editor (which, unfortunately, isn’t available online) to the CJR’s criticism of how the AP handled the situation.

I’m not going to get into all of the details of the mud-slinging, but the point I want to make is that here we not only have a case of a special interest organization using dubious data to further its own agenda, but we also have an example of the AP, one of the most preeminent news wires in this country, adding fuel to the fire.

I don’t want to blame the individual reporter or bureau that issued the story because I think this is really a larger issue that I’ve seen in assorted news organizations across the country.  As budgets are cut and staffing is reduced, we - the consumers of news - are often the victims of misinformation.    

Have you ever wondered what goes through the minds of people that feel so strongly on an issue that they just make things up? The world is full of well-intentioned folks who just can’t look at an issue and dispassionately articulate the facts.

Now comes the Chicago Tribune with an article about the “Top 10 Dubious Data List,” a fascinating collection of outrageous misinformation that during 2006 was laid before the public. Not surprisingly to those of us who have been in the alcohol business for longer than 10 minutes, some of the most outrageous, egregious “dubious” honors center on alcohol. Now don’t get me wrong, there are problems with irresponsible use of alcohol and lots of people in the industry, in not-for-profits, and in the government, are working hard to combat them. But hey, why can’t these characters just tell things straight?
Read on:

Low and behold, a number of the past year’s top media fabrications listed in the “Top 10 Dubious Data” list concerned alcohol and underage drinking. Take a look:

• “The media gushed over an AP report that “all but confirm[ed] what goes on in those `Girls Gone Wild’ spring-break videos:” young women blacking out from drinking, having sex with more than one partner and so forth. Actually, the American Medical Association study was a non-random Internet poll of volunteers, of which only 27 percent had been on spring break.”

• “The Wall Street Journal misreported that teenage girls increased alcohol consumption more than 30 percent from 1999 to 2004. The study’s mistake was that it treated, for example, a 6-ounce glass of alcohol the same as an ounce of alcohol mixed with 5 ounces of orange juice. U.S. government studies show that binge drinking by college-age women has remained steady since 1980 and daily drinking has been declining since 2002.”

• “Forbes and The New York Times bit on a study by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, which claimed that the alcohol industry reaped almost $50 billion, or half its revenue, from underage drinkers. To buy that, you have to believe that teen drinkers consume as much as all adult drinkers combined, and that half of all teens consume more than 1,000 drinks a year, or almost three daily.”

Three cheers to the Chicago Tribune for getting out the facts. We need more reporters and news organizations to ask better questions before they just publish whatever these guys have to say. They sure ask me lots of questions!

If you want any detail on any of these three studies, just let me know. And, as always, anyone associated with any of the three items mentioned is welcome to post a response, a defense, an apologia right here at www.NoBullBar.com
guy

Loyal readers of NoBullBar.com know that CASA has a long history of playing fast and loose with the facts.  And just last week, Susan Foster showed that they’re at it again.

She was quoted in the New York Daily News saying, “’We’re seeing an increase in rates of drinking to get drunk” among teens.

Sounds terrible!  And it would be…if it were true.

Susan based her comments on The National Youth Risk Behavior Survey conducted by the Department of Health and Human Services, a federal agency that is a part of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.  The study was conducted from 1991-2005 with a representative sample of 9th trough 12th grade students throughout the United States. 

It found NO CHANGE in episodic heavy drinking from 1991 to 2005.  In fact, they found a DECREASE from 1997 to 2005 in heaving drinking behavior and the trend was consistent when they looked at lifetime alcohol use, current alcohol use and use of alcohol on school property.

Susan, CASA: I encourage you to join us in being part of the SOLUTION.  It’s about time you stop twisting the facts to support your political agenda.

As always, we invite Susan to post her comments on why she distorts these and other facts right here on www.NoBullBar.com

Cheers!

guy

How many times have you said it?

How many times have you heard others say it?

“They’re just teenagers.”  Or, “Kids will be kids, it’s all part of growing up.”

What am I talking about?  Parents and other adults who view underage/teen drinking as little more than a right of passage that little can or really should be done to curtail.

Unfortunately, still far too often, some of these parents end up being “innocent” bystanders as their children fall victim to an incident (and often are seriously injured or even killed) in which alcohol was a major factor.

I live in CT and for the past couple of years have watched a debate unfold in the State Legislature that, this year, finally culminated with enactment of the so-called House Party law that provides for fines and penalties for children caught possessing alcohol on private property and for the parents/adults who condone it.

The amazing thing was that it took so long for this rather simple effort at deterrence to become law.  Years of debate about privacy rights, the ability of an adult to allow otherwise illegal activity … so long as it was within the confines of their private property. Fears of overzealous law enforcement officials who would immediately overstep their bounds if given this new tool to fight underage drinking … and the list of so-called arguments went on … and on … and on.

If an adult kills a child (or anyone for that matter) in a drunk driving accident we – rightfully – call for the most severe penalties to be imposed.

When a child is killed two weeks before graduating from High School because of an accident involving alcohol we call it (again, rightfully) an avoidable tragedy.

When children drink alcohol we immediately blame those who manufacturer and sell it, calling them reckless and irresponsible.

But when we say we want to penalize adults who knowingly and willfully allow underage drinking in their homes we have to wring our hands and debate “privacy rights.”

There are still far too many states out there that have not even taken this limited action to give local law enforcement officials a much-needed tool to fight underage drinking.

Were it not for the fact that so many parents still harbor the view that “it’s okay, as long as they do it in my house” we might not need these laws in the first place … but we do, and we need them now.

Recently in Michigan, Governor Jennifer Granholm signed a new law that would require anyone under the age of 21 who is convicted of an alcohol offense to submit to mandatory random alcohol tests. While I applaud Michigan’s efforts to combat underage drinking, I think it is important that the Governor, and other state leaders, go a step further and work to limit youth access to alcohol by going after those that provide alcohol to minors, and after those minors that use fake IDs to buy alcohol illegally.

At Diageo, we are proud of our long-term commitment to fighting underage drinking. Our efforts, along with the work of many others, are getting positive results in the big measures that count: the incidence of drunk driving and underage drinking. Yet, despite our best efforts, and the great progress over the last 20 years to reduce underage drinking in the US, far too many young people still drink. According to the latest National Survey on Drug Use and Health, nearly 18% of young people between 12 and 18 reported drinking in the last month. And more than half of young people between 18 and 20 reported the same thing.

What keeps those numbers so high? Not retailers, in fact, only a small percentage of young people say they buy alcohol beverages from retailers who don’t check IDs.

No, the real culprits behind the underage drinking problem in the US are the adults who buy alcohol for young people and the young people who use fake IDs to try to fool retailers.

Studies by government agencies and public health organizations recognize the important role limiting underage access plays in addressing underage drinking. These studies are confirmed by Century Council research that shows 65% of underage drinkers get their alcohol from family and friends, while only 7% obtain it from a store or bar that does not check ID.

That’s why we are working with state legislators and regulators, retailers, wholesalers, law enforcement agencies and parents to support a state legislative initiative to prevent underage access. This initiative is aimed at establishing zero tolerance for adults who provide alcohol to minors and for minors who drink or attempt to purchase alcohol beverages.

The legislation targets both the adults who buy or provide, through non-commercial means, alcohol for young people and the young people who use fake IDs, by taking their driver’s license away through “Automatic Driver’s License Revocation” (ALR).

If minors cannot get alcohol, they cannot drink it. That is why we are targeting access with this legislation. Government agencies and advocates agree that limiting access is the key to preventing underage drinking.

We are committed to seeing a decline in underage consumption and we look forward to working with state governments across the country as we try to find real solutions to the underage age drinking problem.

Last weekend I went to my favorite neighborhood hibachi restaurant. In hibachi style restaurants, random patrons are typically squeezed into tight seating conditions centered around a cook-top table. While sitting with strangers isn’t a problem for me, I’m wholly aware that it’s a toss up in terms of choice of dinner companions. This week, to my left, three women of legal drinking age out on the town celebrating mom’s night out. On my right, three women who were clearly underage and taking advantage of the fact that this establishment wasn’t carding.

My first clue of their underage status, besides their very youthful appearance, was that as they downed their Sake, they snapped pictures of themselves with their cell phones. It’s been my experience, having bartended myself for seven years, that people of legal drinking age don’t have to prove that they are drinking with photo evidence.

I turned to the moms on my right and asked, “Did you see those girls get carded?” They replied that they had their eye on them and noticed that they were not carded. This information fueled my agitation. I thought to myself, how many people have watched these girls carry on and, in effect, have ultimately failed them — from their parents before they left their house, to the restaurant, to the bartender in the bar, to the server at the table, to the “moms” sitting on my right. You know how you feel when you’re watching something and a voice inside your head says “this is wrong. Someone needs to say/do something”.

What I said to those girls at that moment may not have been profound or the perfect thing to say to “reach them” but I could tell it landed on them. It wasn’t an easy thing for me to do. I was with company who I knew wouldn’t appreciate me getting into someone else’s personal business. From my point of view, however, in addition to it being quite literally my business, I also couldn’t imagine getting on the road knowing that these girls were behind the wheel somewhere. I imagine it gets easier each time you step out on the ledge and protect what’s important.  Let me know what you might have done in this same situation.

In Lexington, SC recently tragic deaths occurred of three high school seniors in two separate accidents on the same night who were drinking and driving. James Young and Donald Schwartz were leaving a party when Schwartz ran off the road and struck a tree. Both Young and Schwartz died. Only 30 minutes earlier, another 17 year old, Kyle Paradise was driving under the influence when he hit a road sign and flipped his automobile, immediately killing his passenger and best friend Brent Nachel.

This small town in rural South Carolina is not unlike many small towns where underage drinking is a persistent plague in the community.  Having grown up in a small town myself, I can attest to the rather boring life that surrounded kids and without education and constant reminding, coming from coaches, parents, teachers, and other good young adult role models, peer pressure to drink can be challenging.

Faced with these calamities in his district, Senator Jakey Knotts, a veteran Senator from the midlands of South Carolina turned to DIAGEO and worked passionately and earnestly with us and The Century Council to bring a program to this beleaguered community to remind kids of the dangers associated with illegal underage consumption of alcohol. The program, Brandon Tells His Story, is of Brandon Silveria, a young high school student with a very bright future both academically and athletically.  Brandon’s story is tragic and moving.  When only 17 years old, Brandon was involved in a near fatal car crash after drinking at a high school party with friends. He was subsequently in a coma for 3 months and even years later he still faces daily dilemmas with permanent and visible speech and walking disabilities. Despite these disabilities, Brandon and his Father Tony travel across the country talking to teenagers about the dangers of drinking and driving. His emotional story both educates and encourages responsible decisions by teens and has made a huge impact across high school auditoriums nationwide.

Partnerships with the industry, community leaders, parents and teachers’ organizations are all critical –frankly imperative, to educate and remind our youth on the potentially lethal outcomes of illegal underage drinking and drunk driving. The more we as a company and community can do to continue to educate our kids about these dangers, the better off we all are at protecting our future generations.  I’m proud to work for a company that cares so much about the communities in which we live and work and demonstrates that commitment to responsibility every day across the country.