On April 4, 2001, Representatives Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA) and Frank Wolf (R-VA) introduced H.R. 1509, a bill to establish a "National Media Campaign to Prevent Underage Drinking."

Original co-sponsors include: Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Zach Wamp (R-TN), Henry Waxman (D-CA), Connie Morella (R-MD), Nita Lowey (D-NY), and John Cooksey (R-LA).

H.R. 1509 has the support of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, American Medical Association (AMA), Advertising Council, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), National Partnership for a Drug-Free America, Consumer Federation of America, National Families in Action, Trauma Foundation, and the American Academy of Pediatrics, to name a few of the national groups. Many local and statewide groups also support this bill.

During the Easter/Passover recess, members of Congress will be coming home for the holidays and will be holding town meetings and community forums over the next 10 days. We encourage you to attend some of these meetings and ask about this bill, or if possible, set up a personal meeting with your representative to discuss the need for this national media campaign.

• Alcohol is the #1 youth drug problem in the USA.

• Underage drinking costs Americans nearly $53 billion per year (Source: Levy, Stewart & Wilbur. Costs of Underage Drinking. Pacific Institute, 1999. Written for the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention).

• If the cost of underage drinking were shared equally by each congressional district, the amount would total more than $120 million per district (Source: Levy, Stewart & Wilbur. Costs of Underage Drinking. Pacific Institute, 1999. Written for the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention).

• According to research by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, young people who begin drinking before age 15 are four times more likely to develop alcohol dependence than those who begin drinking at age 21.

• Alcohol use by college students is a factor in 40% of academic problems, 28% of dropouts, 80% of acts of vandalism.

• At present, there are no effective national media prevention campaigns, nor is there a comprehensive program to educate the public about the dangers of underage drinking.

H.R. 1509 will develop and implement a national media campaign for the purpose of reducing and preventing underage drinking in the US. Will you support such an effort and sign on as a co-sponsor?

Additionally, please write members of Congress to make the above points. The address for your member of Congress is:

U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515

Click here to send a message to your Representative.

Click here for more information on the National Media Campaign to Prevent Underage Drinking.

April 10, 2001