Community Action to Promote the National Media Campaign
to Prevent Underage Drinking

On June 19th, teens (ages 15 to 18) from the Youth Prevention Project of the Alcohol Policy Network in Berkeley, California successfully persuaded the Alameda County Board of Supervisors to pass a resolution in support of H.R. 1509/S. 866 -- the National Media Campaign to Prevent Underage Drinking.  These bills, which are identical in the House and Senate, would establish a national media campaign to prevent underage drinking.  Depending on the results of a proposed planning study, the campaign structure (if not the content) will resemble the current anti-drug campaign conducted by the Office of National Drug Control Policy.

We are trying to build a sense of inevitability for passage of these bills this Congress.  The more often members of Congress hear from their constituents on this issue, the better!

Below is a sample resolution, much like the one passed in Alameda County. Present it to a friendly city councilperson, county alderman/commissioner, or other local official and ask for its adoption.

Resolution

WHEREAS, alcohol is the number one youth drug problem in the United States -- it is the leading cause of death and injury among teenagers; and

WHEREAS, alcohol problems among youth cost the United States economy almost $53 billion per year; and

WHEREAS, if the cost of underage drinking were shared equally by each United States Congressional district, the amount would total more than $120 million per district; and

WHEREAS, fifty-six percent of students in grades 5-12 say that alcohol advertising encourages them to drink; and

WHEREAS, young people who begin drinking before age 15 are 4 times more likely to become addicted to alcohol than those who begin at age 21; and

WHEREAS, alcohol use by college students is a factor in 40% of academic problems, 28% of dropouts, and 80% of vandalism acts; and

WHEREAS, currently, there are no effective media prevention campaigns, or comprehensive programs to educate the public, especially young people, about the dangers of underage drinking;

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that this Board [Council, etc.] does hereby endorse and support creation of a national media campaign to reduce and prevent underage drinking; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this Board supports the passage of legislation in the 107th Congress of the United States (H.R. 1509 and S. 866) that will create a national media campaign to prevent underage drinking.

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If your city council or county commission passes this resolution, please send a copy to each member of your state's U.S. House delegation and both Senators (AND please fax one to us at CSPI at this fax number: 202-265-4954).

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

June 29, 2001