New Study Shows Underage Drinking Continues to Decline; 8th Grade Drinking at Lowest Levels Since 1991
Anheuser-Busch Does Its Part to Support National Underage Drinking Prevention Programs
ST. LOUIS (Dec. 15, 2009) — New data released from the University of Michigan’s Monitoring the Future study showed long-term declines in underage drinking. To continue these trends, Anheuser-Busch reminds adults of the importance of talking with their children about drinking and not providing alcohol to minors; educates retailers on properly checking I.D.s to prevent sales to minors and assists schools in building self-esteem among teens.
The study, which is funded by the United States government’s National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), reported the 8th grade past-month drinking rate is at a record-low level, declining 41 percent since tracking began in 1991. Visit www.monitoringthefuture.org for more information about the study.
“At Anheuser-Busch, we’re working to do our part to ensure no one is illegally consuming our products,” said Kathy Casso, vice president, Corporate Social Responsibility, Anheuser-Busch, Inc. “After all, many of us have children – and we share the same concerns as other parents about these issues. Results like these show that, together with law enforcement, government agencies, community organizations and parents, we’re making progress in the fight against underage drinking and we need to continue our efforts.”
Anheuser-Busch and its network of wholesalers work year-round to implement numerous community-based programs to prevent underage drinking, including:
- Family Talk About Drinking – Developed by an advisory panel of education, family counseling, child psychology and alcohol treatment professionals and encourages open, honest communications between parents and children. Anheuser-Busch has provided more than 7 million copies of the parent guide free to parents and educators in English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese. To download the guide, visit www.familytalkonline.com.
- Operation I.D./We I.D. – Assists retailers with training employees to check and verify valid I.D.s and provides We I.D. signage to remind customers they will be asked to show I.D. before purchasing alcohol; We I.D. cards that list tips on how to spot fake I.D.s; and drivers license booklets that feature photos of valid driver’s licenses from all 50 states to help clerks and wait staff recognize current state I.D.s.
- Prevent. Don’t Provide – Reminds parents and other adults not to buy alcohol for minors or provide it to them at parties. For more information, visit www.preventdontprovide.com.
Since 1982, Anheuser-Busch and its nationwide network of 600 wholesalers have invested more than $750 million in national advertising campaigns and community-based programs to promote responsible drinking among adults and prevent underage drinking. For more information on these efforts and the progress being made, visit www.beeresponsible.com or www.alcoholstats.com.