2006-33RESOLUTION NO. 2006-33
COUNCILMEMBER FANOELE INTRODUCED THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION in the matter
of examination of problems related to underage drinking.
WHEREAS, children who consume alcohol before age 15 are four times more likely to develop
alcohol dependence at some point in their lives when compared to children who abstain from alcohol
until they are 21, and
WHEREAS, more than 30.9% of the alcohol advertising on television in 2001 in the Omaha media
market was more likely to be seen by youth ages 12 -20 than by adults of legal drinking age, and
WHEREAS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) surveyed Nebraska high school
students and found that, in 2005, 42.9% of the students reported using alcohol in the preceding month,
and
WHEREAS, the CDC found that 35.6% of the students surveyed reported riding with a driver who had
been drinking, and
WHEREAS, the CDC found that 29.8% of Nebraska high school students had five or more drinks on
one or more occasions in the preceding month, and
WHEREAS, the CDC recently found "point -of- purchase," or on -site, alcohol marketing in 94% of the
nearly 4,000 convenience stores, grocery stores and gas stations it studied, having selected types of
retail outlets that are frequented by underage youth, and
WHEREAS, reports by the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth show that underage youth are
exposed to more alcohol advertising than adults on television, radio and in magazines, and
WHEREAS, the Journal of the American Medical Association published in its May 14, 2003 edition a
study that found that alcohol advertising in magazines between 1997 and 2001 tended to increase as
youth readership increased, and
WHEREAS, independent research indicates that awareness of alcohol advertising and marketing has
an impact on the beliefs and expectations of children and youth regarding alcohol use, and
WHEREAS, the current voluntary guidelines of the Beer Institute and the Distilled Spirits Council of
the U.S. allow alcohol advertising to reach a great number of youth, and
WHEREAS, the 2003 report by the National Academy of Sciences recommends combating underage
drinking by instituting an adult media campaign, limiting and monitoring youth exposure to alcohol
advertising, creating a federal interagency committee, raising alcohol excise taxes to deter underage
drinking and fund related prevention work, and limiting youth access to alcohol by taking tougher
measures at the community level, NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of
Blair, County of Washington, State of Nebraska:
That the City Council asks Nebraska's federal, state and local government leaders to support the
findings of the National Academy of Sciences' report titled Reducing Underage Drinking: A Collective
Responsibility.
COUNCIL MEMBER FANOELE MOVED THAT THE RESOLUTION BY ADOPTED AS READ,
WHICH SAID MOTION WAS SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ABBOTT. UPON ROLL
CALL, COUNCILMEMBERS SHOTWELL, FANOELE, BIFFAR AND SCHEVE VOTING "AYE"
AND COUNCIL MEMBERS WOLFF AND ABBOTT VOTING "NAY ", THE MAYOR
DECLARED THE FOREGOING RESOLUTION PASSED AND ADOPTED THIS 25TH DAY OF
JULY, 2006.
ATTEST:
A l /(- -..
BRENDA WH ELER, CITY CLERK
(SEAL)
STATE OF NEBRASKA )
)ss
WASHINGTON COUNTY )
CITY OF BLAIR,
BRENDA WHEELER, hereby certifies that she is the duly appointed, qualified and acting City
Clerk of the City of Blair, Nebraska, and that the above and foregoing Resolution was duly passed and
adopted at a regular meeting of the Mayor and City Council of said City held on the 25th day of July,
2006.
BRENDA WHEELER, CITY CLERK
S E. REALPH, MAYOR
Reducing Underage Drinking: A Collective Responsibility (2003)
hhpl /www. nap. eau/ openhnnkt03 1190 8 93 5 2Attml/LhmU, copyright 200:1.2001 The National Academy of Sciences, all rights reserved
Executive Summary
A lcohol use by young people is dangerous, not only because of the risks
associated with acute impairment, but also because of the threat to
their long -term development and well being. Traffic crashes are per-
haps the most visible of these dangers, with alcohol being implicated in
nearly one -third of youth traffic fatalities. Underage alcohol use is also
associated with violence, suicide, educational failure, and other problem
behaviors. All of these problems are magnified by early onset of teen drink-
ing: the younger the drinker, the worse the problem. Moreover, frequent
heavy drinking by young adolescents can lead to mild brain damage. The
social cost of underage drinking has been estimated at $53 billion including
$19 billion from traffic crashes and $29 billion from violent crime.
More youth drink than smoke tobacco or use other illegal drugs. Yet
federal investments in preventing underage drinking pale in comparison
with resources targeted (mostly to youths) at preventing illicit drug use. In
fiscal 2000, $71.1 million was targeted at preventing underage alcohol use
by the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS), Justice, and
Transportation. In contrast, the fiscal 2000 federal budget authority for
drug abuse prevention (including prevention research) was 25 times higher,
$1.8 billion; for tobacco prevention, funding for the Office of Smoking and
Health, only one of several HHS agencies involved with smoking preven-
tion, was approximately $100 million, with states spending a great deal
more with resources from the states' Medicaid reimbursement suits against
the tobacco companies.
Although it is illegal to sell or give alcohol to youths under age 21, they
Reducing ITnderagcDrinking: A Collective Responsibility (2003)
http://www.nap.edufopcnhook1030901;9352thtmlillitml, copyright 2(50.2(5 1 The National Academy of Sciences, all rights reserved
2 REDUCING UNDERAGE DRINKING
do not have a hard time getting it, and they often get it from adults. More
than 90 percent of twelfth graders report that alcohol is "very easy" or
"fairly easy" to get. And when underage youths drink, they drink more
heavily and recklessly than adults. They report that they "usually" drink an
average of four and a half drinks, an amount very close to the threshold of
five drinks typically used to define heavy drinking (also referred to as binge
drinking). In contrast, adult drinkers report usually drinking fewer than
three drinks
In response to a congressional request in the HHS fiscal 2002 appro-
priations act, the Board on Children, Youth, and Families of the National
Research Council and the Institute of Medicine formed the Committee on
Developing a Strategy to Reduce and Prevent Underage Drinking. The
committee was directed to review a broad range of federal, state and non-
governmental programs, from environmental interventions to programs
focusing directly on youth attitudes and behaviors, and to develop a cost -
effective strategy to reduce and prevent underage drinking. In conducting
this review, the committee relied on the available scientific literature, in-
cluding a series of papers written for the committee, public input, and its
expertise.
The committee conducted its work within the framework of the current
national policy establishing 21 as the minimum legal drinking age in every
state. We concentrated more on population -based primary prevention ap-
proaches rather than on. individually oriented approaches.
STRATEGY. OVERVIEW
The committee reached the fundamental conclusion that underage
drinking cannot be successfully addressed by focusing on youth alone.
Youth drink within the context of a society in which alcohol use is norma-
tive behavior and images about alcohol are pervasive. They usually obtain
alcohol — either directly or indirectly —from adults. Efforts to reduce un-
derage drinking, therefore, need to focus on adults and must engage the
society at large.
The preeminent goal of the recommended strategy is to create and
sustain a broad societal commitment to reduce underage drinking. Such a
commitment will require participation by multiple individuals and organi-
zations at the national, state, local, and community levels who are in a
position to affect youth decisions including parents and other adults, al-
cohol producers, wholesalers and retail outlets, restaurants and bars, enter-
tainment media, schools, colleges and universities, the military, landlords,
community organizations, and youths themselves. The nation must collec-
tively pursue opportunities to reduce the availability of alcohol to underage
Reducing Underage Drinking: A Collective Responsibility (2003)
hnpJ /www. nap. cdu /opcnhook!O309089352P1bmI/3.hmll, copyright 2(53, 20)1'nte National Academy of Sciences, all rights reserved
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 3
drinkers, the occasions for underage drinking, and the demand for alcohol
among young people.
THE STRATEGY
The committee's proposed strategy for broad societal commitment to
reduce underage drinking has ten main components.
National Adult - Oriented Media Campaign
Most adults express concern about youth drinking and support public
policy actions to reduce youth access to alcohol. Nonetheless, youth obtain
alcohol from adults. Parents tend to dramatically underestimate underage
drinking generally and their own children's drinking in particular. The first
component in the strategy calls for the development of a media campaign,
including rigorous formative research on effective messages, aimed at in-
creasing specific actions by adults meant to reduce underage drinking and
decreasing adult conduct that facilitates underage drinking.
Recommendation 6 -1: The. federal government should fund and
actively. support the development of a national media effort, as. a
major component of an adult - oriented campaign to reduce underage
drinking.
Partnership to Prevent Underage Drinking
Despite laws that aim to preclude drinking by those under the age of
21, a. significant amount of underage drinking occurs, generating revenues
for producers, wholesalers, and retailers of alcoholic beverages, especially
beer. The alcohol industry has declared its commitment to reducing under-
age drinking and has invested in programs with that aim. However, the
outcomes of these efforts are not always apparent, and the motives are
sometimes questioned. A partnership between the alcohol industry, govern-
ment, and other private partners would facilitate a coordinated, evidence-
based approach to prevent and reduce underage drinking.
Recommendation 7 -1: All segments of the alcohol industry that profit
from underage drinking, inadvertently or otherwise, should join with
other private and public partners to establish and fund an independent
nonprofit foundation with the sole mission of preventing and reducing
underage drinking.
Reducing Underage Drinking: A Collective Responsibility (2003)
http://www.nap.cdu/opcnbook/0309089352/htm1/4.hual, copyright 2003, 2001 The National Academy a Science.% all rights ramrved
4 REDUCING UNDERAGE DRINKING
Alcohol Advertising
A substantial proportion of alcohol advertising reaches an underage
audience and is presented in a style that is attractive to youths. For ex-
ample, television alcohol advertisements routinely appear on programs for
which the percentage of underage viewers is greater than the percentage of
underage youths in the population. Although a clear causal link between
advertising and youth consumption has not been established, youth expo-
sure to advertising and marketing of products with particular appeal to
youths should be reduced. Strengthened self - regulation would be in keeping
with the industry's stated commitment to avoid sale to minors and with
recommendations by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in 1999 regard-
ing industry advertising standards. Only one company has adopted the
FTC's 1999 recommendation that the industry create independent external
review boards to address complaints regarding violations of advertising
codes. In light of constitutional constraints on direct advertising restric-
tions, and to enable the industry to be responsive to public concerns about
advertising, the most fruitful governmental response would be to facilitate
public awareness of advertising practices.
Recommendation 7-2: Alcohol companies, advertising companies, and
commercial media should refrain from marketing practices (including
product design, advertising, and promotional techniques) that have
substantial underage appeal and should take reasonable precautions in
the time, place, and manner of placement and promotion to reduce
youthful exposure to other alcohol advertising and marketing activity.
Recommendation 7 -3: The. alcohol industry trade associations, as well
as individual companies, should strengthen their. advertising codes to
preclude placement of commercial messages in venues where a signifi-
cant proportion of the expected audience is underage, to. prohibit the
use of commercial messages that have. substantial underage appeal, and
to. establish independent external review boards to investigate com-
plaints and enforce the codes.
Recommendation 7-4: Congress should appropriate the necessary fund-
ing for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to monitor
underage exposure to alcohol advertising on a continuing basis and to
report periodically to Congress and the public., The report should in-
clude information on the underage percentage.of the exposed audience
and estimated number of underage viewers of print and broadcasting
alcohol advertising in national markets and, for television and radio
broadcasting, in a selection of large local or regional markets.
Reducing Underage D rinking: A Collective Responsibility (2003)
hupl /www. nap. cdu/ opcnhonld (Y3lM)H9352/hrml /5.hmil, copyright 2(513, 201 The National Academy of Scicnccs, all rights reserved
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY S
Entertainment Media
Since artistic expression inevitably reflects the culture in which it is
embedded, it is hardly surprising that alcohol use and alcohol products are
frequently displayed or mentioned in prime -time television, movies, and
music. Although the viewing or listening audiences for most of these media
products are predominantly adult, some of them are disproportionately
underage, and even the predominantly adult audiences inevitably include
large numbers of young people. As in the case of commercial alcohol ad-
vertising, the entertainment media have a social responsibility to eschew
displays or lyrics that portray underage drinking in a favorable light or that
glamorize or promote alcohol consumption in products that are targeted
toward or likely to be heard or viewed by large underage audiences. Label-
ing and notice requirements have been voluntarily adopted in analogous
contexts.. Although the industry restrictions should be undertaken on a
voluntary basis, some independent oversight and public awareness of these
standards is warranted.
Recommendation 84: The entertainment industries should use rating
systems and marketing codes to reduce the likelihood that underage
audiences will be exposed to movies, recordings, or television programs
with unsuitable alcohol content, even if adults are expected to predomi-
nate in the viewing or listening audiences
Recommendation 8 -2: The film rating board of the Motion Picture
Association of America should consider alcohol content in rating films,
avoiding G or. PG. ratings for films with unsuitable alcohol content, and
assigning mature ratings for films that portray underage drinking in a
favorable light.
Recommendation 8 -3: The music recording industry should not mar-
ket recordings that promote or glamorize alcohol use to young people;
should include alcohol content in a comprehensive rating system, simi-
lar to those used by the television, film, and video game industries; and
should establish an independent body to assign ratings and oversee the
industry code.
Recommendation 8 -4: Television broadcasters and producers should
take appropriate precautions to ensure that programs do. not portray
underage drinking in a favorable light, and that unsuitable alcohol
content . is included in the. category. of mature content for. purposes. of
parental warnings.
Recommendation 8 -5: Congress should appropriate the necessary
funds to enable the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to
conduct a periodic review of a representative sample of movies, televi-
Reducing Underage Drinking: A Collective Responsibility (2003)
http copyright 2003. The National Academy of Sciences, all rights reserved
6 REDUCING UNDERAGE DRINKING
sion programs, and music recordings and videos that are offered at
times or in venues likely to have a significant youth audience (e.g., 15
percent) to ascertain the nature and frequency of lyrics or images per-
taining to alcohol. The results of these reviews should be reported to
Congress and the public.
Limiting Access
Limiting youth access to alcohol has been shown to be effective in
reducing and preventing underage drinking and drinking- related problems.
Since 21 became the nationwide legal drinking age, there have been signifi-
cant decreases in drinking, fatal traffic crashes, alcohol - related crashes, and
arrests for "driving under the influence" (DUI) among young people. Given
the widespread availability of alcohol and easy access by underage drinkers,
minimum drinking age laws must be enforced more effectively, along with
social sanctions. The effectiveness of underage drinking laws could be
enhanced through such approaches as compliance checks, server training,
zero tolerance laws, and graduated driver licensing laws.
Recommendation 9 -1: Thee minimum drinking age laws of each state
should prohibit:
• purchase or attempted purchase, possession, and consumption of
alcoholic beverages by persons under 21;
• possession of and use of falsified or fraudulent identification to
purchase or attempt to purchase alcoholic beverages;
• provision of any alcohol to minors by adults, except to their own
children in their own residences; and
• underage drinking in private clubs and establishments.
Recommendation. 9 -2: States should strengthen their compliance check
programs in retail outlets, using media campaigns and license_ revoca-
tion to increase. deterrence.
• Communities and states should undertake regular and comprehen-
sive compliance check programs, including notification of retailers
concerning the program and follow -up communication to them
about the outcome (sale /no sale) 'for their outlet.
• Enforcement agencies should issue citations for violations of under-
age sales laws, with substantial fines and temporary suspension of
license for first offenses and increasingly stronger penalties thereaf-
ter, leading to permanent revocation of license after three offenses.
• Communities and states should implement media campaigns in con-
junction with compliance check programs detailing the program, its
purpose, and outcomes.
Reducing Underage Drinking: A Collective Responsibility (2003)
http / /wwty. nap. cdu /opcnhook/03 5JlKXi52/htm1 l.hmll, copyright 21X13, 2(X)1711c National Acorlcmy of Scicmxs, all rights rcscrvcd
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 7
Recommendation 9 -3: The federal government should require states to
achieve designated rates of retailer compliance with youth access prohi-
bitions as a condition of receiving relevant block grant funding, similar
to the Synar Amendment's requirements for youth tobacco sales.
Recommendation 9 -4: States should require all sellers and servers of
alcohol to complete state - approved training as a condition of employ-
ment.
Recommendation 9 -5: States should enact or strengthen dram shop
liability statutes to authorize negligence -based civil actions against com-
mercial providers of alcohol for serving or selling alcohol to a minor
who subsequently causes injury to others, while allowing a defense for
sellers who have demonstrated compliance with responsible business
practices. States should include in their dram shop statutes key portions
of the Model Alcoholic Beverage Retail Licensee Liability Act of 1985,
including the responsible business practices defense.
Recommendation 9 -6: States that allow Internet sales and home deliv-
ery of alcohol should regulate these activities to reduce the likelihood of
sales to underage purchasers. States. should:
• require all packages for delivery containing alcohol to be dearly
labeled as such;
• require persons who deliver alcohol to record the recipient's age
identification information from a valid government- issued document
(such as a driver license or ID card); and
• require recipients of home delivery of alcohol to sign a statement
verifying receipt of alcohol and attesting that he or she is of legal age
to purchase alcohol.
Recommendation 9 -7: States and localities should implement enforce-
ment programs to deter adults front purchasing alcohol for. minors.
States and communiities, should:
• routinely undertake shoulder tap or other prevention programs tar-
geting adults who purchase alcohol for minors, using warnings,
rather than citations, for the first offense;
• enact and enforce laws to hold retailers responsible, as a condition
of licensing, for allowing minors to loiter and solicit adults to pur-
chase alcohol for them on outlet property; and
• use nuisance and loitering ordinances as a means of discouraging
youth from congregating outside of alcohol outlets in order to solicit
adults to purchase alcohol.
Recommendation 9 -8: States and communities should establish and
Reducing Under age Drinking: A Collective Responsibility (2003)
httpl /www. nap. cdn/ opcnboo }UO3($90h9352/html/h.hmtl, copyright 2003, 2001 '11c National Academy of Sciences, all rights reserved
8 REDUCING UNDERAGE DRINKING
implement a system requiring registration of beer kegs that records
information on the identity of purchasers.
Recommendation 9 -9: States. should facilitate enforcement of zero tol-
erance. laws in. order. to. increase. their. deterrent effect.. States, should:
• modify existing laws to allow passive breath testing, streamlined
administrative procedures, and administrative penalties and
• implement media campaigns to increase young peoples' awareness
of reduced BAC limits and of enforcement efforts.
Recommendation 9 -10: States should enact and enforce graduated
driver licensing laws.
Recommendation 9 -11: States and localities should routinely imple-
ment sobriety checkpoints.
Recommendation 9 -12: Local police, working with community lead-
ers, should adopt and announce policies for detecting and terminating
underage drinking parties, including:
• routinely responding to complaints from the public about noisy teen-
age parties and entering the premises when there is probable cause to
suspect underage drinking is taking place;
• routinely checking, as a part of regular weekend patrols, open areas
where teenage drinking parties are known to occur; and
• routinely citing underage drinkers and, if possible, the person who
supplied the alcohol when underage drinking is observed at parties.
Recommendation 9 -13: States should strengthen efforts to prevent and
detect use of false identification by minors to make alcohol purchases.
States should:
• prohibit the production, sale, distribution, possession, and use of
false identification for attempted alcohol purchase;
• issue driver licenses and state identification cards that can be elec-
tronically'scanned;
• allow retailers to confiscate apparently false identification for law
enforcement inspection; and
• implement administrative penalties (e.g., immediate confiscation of
a driver's license and issuance of a citation resulting in a substantial
fine) for attempted use of false identification by minors for alcohol
purchases.
Recommendation 9 -14: States should establish administrative proce-
dures and noncriminal penalties, such as fines or community service,
for alcohol infractions by. minors.
Reducing 'Underage Drinking: A Collective Responsibility (2003)
http:/ /worn. nap. cdu /npcnbnokn)3t!<I )fl9352Pubm1 /9.hmll, copright 2003, 3IX)1 'I'hc National Aaulcmy of Sciences, an rights rcncrvcd
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 9
Youth-Oriented Interventions
Although the proposed strategy focuses mainly on adult attitudes and
behavior toward underage drinking and on reducing the availability of
alcohol to underage youth, approaches that directly target youth are also
needed. A national youth - oriented media campaign to reduce and prevent
underage drinking would be premature in the absence of more evidence
supporting this approach. However, effective education- oriented ap-
proaches in schools and other settings aimed at preventing alcohol use by
youths, as well as interventions with youths who have already developed
alcohol problems, play a role. Interventions that rely on provision of
information alone, or that focus on increasing self - esteem or resisting peer
pressure, have not been demonstrated to be effective.
Residential colleges and universities have witnessed serious drinking
problems among students under 21. Despite efforts by nearly all campuses
to address this problem, heavy drinking has not declined over the past
decade. Residential colleges and universities are in a unique position to
develop and evaluate comprehensive approaches that address both indi-
vidual and population -level issues.
Recommendation 10 -1: Intensive research and development for a
youth - focused national media campaign relating to underage drinking
should be initiated. If this work yields promising results, the inclusion
of a youth- focused campaign in the strategy should be reconsidered.
Recommendation 10 -2: The. U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services and the. U.S. Department of Education should fund only evi-
dence-based education interventions,, with priority given both to. those
that incorporate element& known to. be effective and those that are part
of comprehensive community. programs.
Recommendation 10 -3: Residential colleges and universities should
adopt comprehensive prevention approaches, including evidence -based
screening, brief intervention strategies, consistent policy enforcement,
and environmental changes that limit underage access to alcohol. They
should use universal education interventions, as well as selective and
indicated approaches with relevant populations.
Recommendation 10 -4: The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and
Alcoholism and the Substance. Abuse and Mental Health Services Ad-
ministration should continue to fund evaluations of college -based inter-
ventions, with a particular emphasis on . targeting of interventions to
specific college characteristics, and should maintain a list of evidence -
based programs.
Reducing Underage Drinking: A Collective Responsibility (2003)
httpJ /w w. nap. edu/ opcnbno }d0315059352/htm1 /IQ.html, capyrieht 2150, 20111 The National Academy of Sciences, all rights rcncrvcd
10 REDUCING UNDERAGE DRINKING
Recommendation 10 -5: The U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services and states should expand the availability of effective clinical
services for treating alcohol abuse among underage populations and for
following up on treatment. The U.S. Department of Education, the
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the U.S. Depart-
ment of Justice should establish policies that facilitate diagnosing and
referring underage alcohol abusers and those who are alcohol depen-
dent for clinical treatment.
Community Interventions
Community mobilization can be a powerful vehicle to implement and
support interventions, especially those that target community -level policies
and practices. Communities can design multipronged comprehensive initia-
tives that rely on scientifically based strategies and are responsive to the
specific problems of their communities. College campuses and local com-
munities have a reciprocal influence on one another in relation to student
alcohol use and need to develop complementary strategies.
Recommendation 11 -1: Community leaders should assess. the under-
age drinking problem in their communities and consider. effective. ap-
proaches —such as community. organizing,. coalition building, and the
strategic use of the mass media to. reduce drinking among underage
youth.
Recommendation 11 -2: Public and private funders should support
community mobilization to reduce underage drinking. Federal funding
for reducing and preventing underage drinking should be available
under a national program dedicated to community -level approaches to
reducing underage drinking, similar to the Drug Free Communities Act,
which supports communities in addressing substance abuse with tar-
geted, evidence -based prevention strategies.
Government Assistance and Coordination
The ultimate responsibility for preventing and reducing underage drink-
ing lies with the entire national community, not with government alone.
However, the federal and state governments have important responsibilities
in addition to enforcing the law. These responsibilities include funding
media campaigns, supporting community efforts, monitoring alcohol and
entertainment industry portrayals of drinking, monitoring trends in under-
age drinking and the effectiveness of efforts to reduce it, coordinating mul-
tiple agency activities, and supporting continued research and evaluation.
Reducing tfildorageDrinking: A Collective Responsibi I ity (2003)
http://www.nag.ectutopenbook/0309089352/htm1/11.html, copyright 2(513, 21101 The National Academy of Sciences, all rights reserved
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 11
Recommendation 12 -1: A federal interagency coordinating committee
on prevention of underage drinking should be established, chaired by
the secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Recommendation 12 -2: A National Training and Research Center. on
Underage. Drinking should be established in the U.S.. Department of
Health and Human Services. This body would provide technical assis-
tance, training, and evaluation support and would monitor progress in
implementing national goals.
Recommendation 12 -3: The secretary of the U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services should issue an annual report on underage drink-
ing to Congress summarizing all federal agency activities, progress in
reducing underage drinking, and key surveillance data.
Recommendation 12 -4: Each state should designate a lead agency to
coordinate and spearhead its activities and programs to reduce and
prevent underage drinking.
Recommendation 12 -5: The annual report of the secretary of the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services on underage drinking
should include key indicators of underage drinking.
Recommendation 12 -6: The Monitoring the. Future Survey and the
National Survey. on Drug Use, and Health should be revised to elicit
more precise information on the quantity of alcohol consumed and to
ascertain brand preferences of underage. drinkers.
Alcohol Excise Taxes
Alcoholic beverages are far cheaper (after adjusting for overall infla-
tion) today than they were in the 1960s and 1970s. While raising excise
taxes, and therefore prices, would have some effect on alcohol use by
adults, price has been documented to have a differential affect on youth
alcohol consumption patterns. Taxes can also be a source of revenue for
funding strategies aimed at reducing underage drinking and its associated
harms.
Recommendation 12 -7: Congress and state legislatures should raise
excise taxes to reduce underage consumption and to raise additional
revenues for this purpose. Top priority should be given to raising beer
taxes, and excise tax rates for all alcoholic beverages should be indexed
to the consumer price index so that they keep pace with inflation
without the necessity of further legislative action.
Research and Evaluation
Reducing Underage Drinking: A Collective Responsibility (2003)
http://www.nap.cdu/openbook/030902;052/htm1/12.html, copyright 2003, 20))) The National Academy of Sciences, all rights reserved
12 REDUCING UNDERAGE DRINKING
Rigorous research and evaluation are needed to assess the effectiveness
of specific interventions and to ensure that future refinements of the strat-
egy are grounded in evidence -based approaches. Research related to proto-
type development for the proposed adult media campaign is a core compo-
nent of the strategy outlined in this report. In addition, continued research
and evaluation is necessary to develop new approaches aimed at reaching
all segments of the underage population.
Recommendation 12 -8: All interventions, including media messages
and education programs, whether. funded by public or private sources,
should be rigorously evaluated, and a portion of all federal grant funds
for alcohol- related programs should be designated for evaluation.
Recommendation 12 -9: States and the federal government—particu-
larly the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S.
Department of Education — should fund the development and evalua-
tion of programs to cover all underage populations.
In sum, our proposed strategy calls for development of a national
campaign to engage adults in a concerted effort to stop enabling or ignoring
youth drinking. The proposed strategy calls on the alcohol industry to enter
a partnership with government and other private funders to implement a
coordinated, evidence -based approach to reducing underage drinking. It
proposes stronger enforcement of laws against selling or providing alcohol
to minors. It calls for reducing youth exposure to alcohol advertising or
music and other entertainment with products and ads that glorify drinking.
It recognizes the potential importance of school -based education approaches
and the need for residential colleges and universities to implement compre-
hensive approaches. It calls on local leaders to apply the multiple tools
available to address underage drinking within the context of their commu-
nities. And it challenges federal and state governments to coordinate their
efforts and to raise excise taxes to reduce underage consumption and raise
revenues for the proposed strategy. Finally, it recommends ongoing moni-
toring and continued research and evaluation to facilitate continued refine-
ment of the strategy and its implementation.