There are dozens upon dozens of various types and brands of alcohol available in grocery and convenience stores. They are available 24/7 and there is no barrier between them and consumers. Underage drinking is further faciliated by the ease of access and minimal law enforcement in these establishments. This photo was taken in a local Walmart where the beer section is located yards away from the children’s section of toys and clothing.

This picture shows the school photo of a 17 year old girl. She is a junior in high school and her friends have convinced her to take her sister’s driver’s license so that they can buy beer for their party tonight. Up until now she has never tasted alcohol, she has never done drugs, and she has never done anything illegal. Tonight she will do all three. Because of peer pressure she is making decisions that she never thought she would make. And because of the lack of enforcement at retailers and on the roads she will get away with those choices. Tonight the naive 17 year old girl who wants to fit in with her friends will lose her innocence.

This photograph was taken in a household where young children live, as evidenced by the markers, dinosaur toy, and baseball mitt. The magazine was thrown on the table, haphazardly, along with the other items. The magazine is opened to a page with an alcohol advertisement. This was most likely done by mistake, but nevertheless, the advertisement is open for the children to see. The children
will be drawn to the bright colors and refreshing drink displayed. What message is this advertising sending to those kids? This picture was taken to show that alcohol ads are everywhere- on billboards, on television, in magazines. Children are exposed to these ads almost daily. Policy changes need to be made and enforced to help reduce the children’s exposure to alcohol advertisements in order to delay the age that the children may start drinking.

This cross is at the scene of the accident that cost John his life. He was killed because of a drunk driver. It happened years ago, but those flowers are fresh, his family still remembers and still carries the pain with them. They will never forget what drunk driving did to them, they have learned from it, and hope all who see that cross will too. Drunk driving effects so many more people than just the drunk driver, it effects families, friends and neighborhoods.

Dumb Things

Alcohol Advertising and Youth

It’s Friday night and you’re watching a television show with your 17-year-old son.  A commercial comes on the set advertising a popular brand of beer.  Macho men wearing fashionable clothing drink beer and play sports.  The witty punch line is thrown.  Exciting music plays in the background.  You notice the look on your sons face, yearning and excited.  What is this ad telling him?

The show comes back on and your 14-year-old daughter walks in with a hip magazine and begins flipping through the pages.  She tops on a colorful page with attractive people displayed.  You learn a little closer and see thin, beautiful women in revealing, but fashionable attire drink beer at a party.  You notice the look on your daughter’s face, yearning and excited.  What is this ad telling her?

The Problem

Bret Davis, a prevention specialist for Utah County Alcohol Prevention said 14.7 percent of Utah County teenagers ages 12-18 who responded to a survey reported using alcohol during their lifetime more than tobacco and illegal drugs (Alcohol Industry).

A study performed by The Alcohol & Public Health Research Unit found that, “among 14 to 17 year olds, the more they liked alcohol advertisements the more likely they were to be drinkers and to have higher annual consumption (Wyllie).

Because Utah County is a predominately Mormon community, there is not a high demand for alcohol.  Up until a few years ago, local publications were restricted from advertising any alcohol products other than beer.  Most of the residents of Utah County and those who own and work for companies that have the opportunity to advertise alcohol are opposed to the idea.  On the other hand, there are those, like Publisher Martin Conover of the weekly Springville Herald who welcome it. He was quoted saying, “Liquor companies have run beautiful color ads in Newsweek, Time and other national magazines sold in Utah for years… So whoop-de-do if the Springville Herald runs liquor ads” (Eddington).

Alcohol advertisements often portray macho/aggressive behavior in men and sexy behavior in women.  These ads send misleading messages to young adults.  The youth get excited about drinking because they believe it will make their lives more fun and carefree.  They think that they will accepted and attractive to the opposite sex if they engage in these activities.

Alcohol advertisements fail to mention the risks associated with alcoholic beverages.  These include but are not limited to alcohol addiction, binge drinking, alcohol poisoning, driving while intoxicated, negative effects on heart, liver, and brain function, lowered inhibitions, poor coordination, and exaggerated emotions which can lead to aggressive, violent, and/or promiscuous behaviors.

 

Opposing Views

Opposition may argue that restrictions in alcohol advertising will not prevent people from drinking, and they are probably right; drinking will continue.  But, shielding youth from the constant invitations can delay initial drinking age and reduce its frequency.  A study performed by the American Journal of Health Behavior “followed 3,111 students in South Dakota from seventh to ninth grade, and found that exposure to in-store beer displays in grade 7 predicted onset of drinking by grade 9, and exposure to magazine advertising for alcohol and to beer concessions at sports or music events predicted frequency of drinking in grade 9” (Ellickson).

The alcohol industry may argue that restrictions on advertisements violate the right to free speech stated in the First Amendment.  “To overcome this constitutional barrier, communities must show that the potential harm to the public’s health or welfare from alcohol is real enough to justify the content regulation of speech. This can be a heavy burden, but courts have recognized that alcohol, although legal, is a legitimate subject of this type of speech regulation” (Marine Institute).

Recommendations and Action

A paper titled “State Alcohol Advertising Laws: Current Status and Model Policies,” the state of Utah received the BP (best practice) rating in various categories pertaining to restrictions on advertisements.  Although these policies are stricter than other states, there is always more that can be done.  The public needs to raise awareness.  We need to mobilize the community to get the government’s attention.  Playing a role in decision making by petitioning, writing letters to government officials, communicating with others- friends, family, businesses, etc. are all ways to make your opinion heard (CAMYReport).

Advertisements should be made to target the adult population- those who can legally drink alcohol.  This means that the advertisements should not include material that is enticing to an underage population.  Raising awareness and voicing opinions are the fastest way to bring about these changes.

Alcohol advertisements should be more realistic and expose the risks associated with consuming alcohol.  Also, more counter-advertisements and public service announcements focusing on education and awareness should be shown.  Work with local officials to start education programs in schools and other youth groups to teach them at a young age about the risks associated with alcohol.  Educating and empowering youth with knowledge at a young age will help to instill important principles.

Contributed by:  Jenni Summer

Lowering the Drinking Age, Not Such A Good Idea

It has been a debate over the past few years of whether or not the drinking age should be lowered from 21 to 18.  Binge drinking, especially on college campuses, is a problem.  In the past years binge drinking has increased on college campuses, creating new problems associated with drinking, besides the standard drunk driving.  Utah County is not immune to drinking problems especially in the south and central parts of the county.  About 10% of the people in Utah County over 18 drink alcohol, and of that half of them have operated a vehicle while drunk.        

Lowering the minimum drinking age to 18 could prove dangerous.  There have been many successes in lowering the amount of accidents due to drunk driving and lowering the age could set us back in these attempts.  According to International Association of Chiefs of Police President Ronald Ruecker, “lowering the minimum drinking age to 18 is misguided and dangerous.”  Drunk driving kills thousands of people each year and by lowering the age limit there could be unintentional consequences.  The Utah County Health Department and Division of Substance Abuse supports the position to keep the drinking age at 21.  They also give further justification to their position because of evidence that starting to drink early on can cause damage to the still developing frontal lobe. 

Studies have shown that the age 21 law causes those under 21 to drink less and to continue to drink less throughout their 20s; that the earlier youth drink the more likely they will become dependent on alcohol and drive drunk later in life, more than 50 high quality studies have found that the 21 law saves lives.  Changing the drinking law will endanger lives and turn back to progress made on drunk driving.

Many colleges and universities have advocated lowering the drinking age because they feel this could help with other problems associated with drinking such as binge drinking.  The belief is that if students are allowed to drink they will not be “forced” to drink in secret and inevitably drink more than they should.  Over 100 college presidents have signed a petition wishing to lower the drinking age, but according to the President of the University of Miami, Donna Shalala, “signing this initiative does serious harm to the education and enforcement efforts on our campuses and ultimately endangers young lives even more.”

The problem is not that people are binge drinking in secret on campuses, it is that they are binge drinking.  Access to alcohol on college campuses is one of the major problems leading to binge drinking and drunk driving.  People drink because they can. Even for underage students the ability to drink is often present because the high-risk environment of college campuses and varied enforcement.  30% of college students abuse alcohol, and binge drinking is worse among college age students in college than those who are not.

Rather than lower the drinking age to stop binge drinking, there needs to be better regulations and enforcement.  Lowering the drinking age will only create more problems.  It will make access to alcohol even easier and more binge drinking will occur but now in public leading to more drunk driving and accidents.  The key to solving drinking problems on college campuses is to enforce the law.  Create sanctions so that adults providing alcohol to those under 21 will be prosecuted as well, work to change the environment around college campuses so that students have better recreation to be involved in besides drinking, and work with local establishments to ensure they are not selling to underage drinkers. 

Another key to stopping binge drinking and drunk driving is education.  To help people, especially young people, to be aware of the effects of alcohol; too many people today do not understand the health risks and other risks associated with alcohol.  By using better educational tools to help teens understand the effects of drinking, not only drunk driving, but binge drinking as well they will better be able to protect themselves and keep out of trouble.  We do not need a lower drinking age we need better education and better enforcement. 

Contributed by:  Rochelle Cronquist

Alcohol on Campus

In Utah County, the subject of alcohol abuse is an oft overlooked one. But the issue is still an issue, particularly among those in the 19 to 30 age group. This group is also associated with college campuses. While Brigham Young University has consistently been named Princeton Review’s “#1 most stone-cold sober school”, Utah Valley University has not garnered that distinction. In fact, the main contributor to the age 19 to 30 drinking group has been the students of Utah Valley University. Some students have gone as far to call for a revision to campus policy, allowing the possession and consumption of alcohol on campus. This is an irrational and seriously misguided request.

The problem of alcohol and college students is a highly visible and unquestioned one. In a recent study published in the Annual Review of Public Health, the consequences of college students’ obsession with alcohol was made disturbingly clear. Each year, more than 1,700 college students between the ages of 18 and 24 die each year from alcohol related unintentional injuries, including motor vehicle crashes. More than 1.5 million students are injured or victims of assault or sexual abuse each year.  2.1 million students between the ages of 18 and 24 drove under the influence of alcohol last year. And perhaps the most disturbing long term trend, 31 percent of college students met criteria for a diagnosis of alcohol abuse and 6 percent for a diagnosis of alcohol dependence in the past 12 months, according to questionnaire-based self-reports about their drinking. These statistics are shocking. Allowing alcohol on campus would only serve to reinforce these trends.

Students that have called for a change to UVU’s “drug free campus” rule have called it “an archaic policy” that should have been changed years ago. They also say that student choice is the number one issue at hand when debating this issue.  They say that the scope of alcohol abuse in Utah County is such that allowing alcohol on campus would not increase the problem in any way and would actually serve to reduce the problem because students would have a safer place to engage in alcohol consumption and fraternization. These reasons are imprudent and would only add to the problem. According to the Substance Abuse and Misuse Reduction Team (SMART), a coalition in Utah County aimed at preventing substance abuse, in Utah County last year, 11% of residents (over 18) drank alcohol in the past year and 7% in the past 30 days. They also found that 5% of drinkers, who drank in the past year, drove a vehicle intoxicated (about 1650 residents), 29% of residents drinking in the past 30 days said they got drunk at least once in the last 30 days, and 14% of drinkers who drank in the past year rode with an intoxicated driver.

In order to address this problem, UVU has implemented a drug free policy that is effective and should remain in place. This policy serves to protect the students and the residents of Utah County from those who choose to drive under the influence or participate in assault, abuse, or property damage. If students over 21 wish to drink, they can do so in their private residences or places designated for that activity. This policy has been effective so far, as demonstrated by the relatively low numbers of alcohol drinkers and those driving under the influence in Utah County when compared to other states. In addition, criminal justice and law enforcement need to be more vigilant when enforcing DUI laws. Often people think they won’t get caught drinking and driving or they feel the inconsistent prosecution of DUI’s means they won’t be penalized.  In cities with strict DUI enforcement, the incidence of drug related motor vehicle crashes was surprisingly low.

The drug free policy has already been implemented at Utah Valley University and no changes need to be made to that rule. In order to step up enforcement of DUI’s, the individual city police forces as well as Utah Highway Patrol need to be more vigilant in their detection and prosecution of offenders. Police checkpoints at high traffic areas around bars or other party areas would deter would-be offenders from drinking and driving and force them to get a ride from a sober person or take public transportation. This can be achieved without any additional spending. If law enforcement agents were dispersed in a more strategic way, placing more officers where there is a higher incidence of offenses, they will be able to stop this problem before it starts.

Contributed by: Mollie Tabatabaeepour

Alcohol Taxing Can Save Lives

When alcohol is abused it can cause harm to the drinker and others. Abuse frequently leads to addiction and alcoholics contributing the numerous health problems, including major liver damage. Alcohol abuse can lead to violent behavior where loved ones are pushed away. Additionally, driving under the influence of alcohol can impair judgment and cause harm, not only to the driver but also to innocent bystanders. Those who abuse alcohol are not only a danger to themselves, but the community as a whole. Here in Utah County that problem is very real. 11 percent of our residents have had alcohol in the past year. And of those drinkers, 5 percent drove while intoxicated. While this may not seem like a significant number, driving under the influence of alcohol is so dangerous any number is too big.

It is imperative that those who choose to drink do so more responsibly. Many methods have been tried to reduce consumption of alcohol and abuse of alcohol. A great failed example is the 18th amendment to the Constitution. This law was an extreme approach to ban all sales of alcohol. However, this was shown unsuccessful as many people started making their own alcohol, which proved to be less safe as it was unregulated. Others chose to protest what they viewed an unfair law by consuming more alcohol than they had before. There were so many shops that sold this bootlegged liquor that there was no way to enforce them. Eventually the law was repealed with the 21st amendment making it legal again so sell alcohol in the United States. This huge backlash from the public made the government hesitant to make additional laws dealing with alcohol for quite some time.

Now as many areas around the country are again wishing to modify the problem of overdrinking we should make a push for it here in Utah County. One method they are considering is raising the tax on all alcohol products. This is one method that has been tested and actually proven to be effective in lowering consumption and increasing public safety. That is why it is so appealing to lawmakers.

One study from the University of Florida found ”statistically overwhelming evidence” that raising taxes also reduces the level of drinking. And that reduction was found among social drinkers as well as problem drinkers. It is the aim to lower drinking rates among problem drinkers so many of the violence and societal problems will be lowered. But to see that even social drinkers are limiting their drinking habits because of this law is a great sign for this program. This could prevent many from over consuming and therefore stop them from becoming problem drinkers in the future. Another great finding from the same study is that not only were levels of drinking reduced for adults, but it was also true for teenagers. It is great to see a strategy that can have an impact on teen drinking.

Not only does this tax lower drinking rates, it has been linked to a reduction in the number of deaths in areas that it is applied to. A study conducted in Alaska found that when prices rose for alcohol deaths from alcohol-related diseases went down significantly. The year when Alaska put a tax hike on alcohol from 46 cents to 63 cents per gallon, there were 23 fewer deaths than the previous year. That translates to a 29 percent decrease in the number of deaths. The study also found that alcohol related deaths were lowered for several years after the tax increases. This tax will not only help society, but help to save individuals who have alcohol addictions. This tax could help stop them from drinking themselves to death. And it is proven to not just be a novel idea, but to have lasting power.

There may be some who say alcohol taxes are not fair to people who drink reasonably. But Alexander Wagenaar, a scientist from the University of Florida, disagreed, saying: “Nondrinkers and light drinkers in effect subsidize heavier drinkers because costs related to alcohol use are reflected in various things, like car insurance and health care.” This tax is the only way to really make the heavy drinkers pay for the problems they cause in society. Taxing truly is a positive step that we need here in Utah County. It can scare those who drink excessively to limit their consumption to healthy levels.

A final study found that taxing alcohol led to fewer youth traffic fatalities. It is well known that the drinking age in our country is 21 years of age and older. To see that a simple tax can help to support that important law shows something of its effectiveness. When kids start drinking they are at a higher risk of addiction later in life, and are more likely to damage their liver and brain as they have not fully developed yet. Youth drinking is a great public health concern, but it seems one way to address it is to make access harder for them, by increasing prices. In our area youth drinking is hard to gauge, but is always a problem. If this simple step can limit kids from drinking it will save many lives from addiction.

Thankfully because of the Latter-day Saint religion that is prominent in Utah many citizens abstain from alcohol, but this leaves them unconcerned about any drinking problems in the area. If they let this continue however, they leave themselves at risk from the effects of others drinking. Even Utah County needs to do something to combat dangerous drinking. While rates may be low, only seven percent of residents drank alcohol in the past month, they are still a big factor in public health. If Utah County were to impose an alcohol tax it would help limit the drinking problem even farther.

It is clear that alcohol taxes are effective in reducing many of the problems alcohol provides. So it should be clear that higher taxes should be imposed here in Utah County. It is our responsibility to do what is best for our community, so we should push for higher taxing of alcohol, and push to save lives.

 

Contributed by:  Torrie Brown

SMART Utah Getting Smart with Social Media

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:                    Lance Madigan

                                     Public Information Officer
                                     Utah County Health Department
                                     Phone: 801-851-7531
                                     Mobile: 801-404-7651
                                     Email: uchlth.lancema@state.ut.us  

 

SMART Utah Getting Smart with Social Media for Alcohol Abuse Prevention

Provo, Utah, November 17, 2009- The Utah County Health Department (UCHD) recently launched a Facebook page, SMART Utah.  This page serves as a resource to the people of Utah County for information on alcohol abuse.  As media changes the UCHD wishes to better connect with the public and serve as a facilitator of information. Their new facebook page is one way in which the department is better able to serve the public and give them new information on alcohol abuse prevention.

SMART Utah is a coalition in Utah County that works to prevent the abuse of alcohol and other harmful substances.  SMART stands for, “Substance Misuse and Abuse Reduction Team,” the coalition is working to pass legislation that will make it harder to purchase alcohol and decrease its abuse.  They are also looking to strengthen enforcement of drunk driving, and increase the taxes on alcohol.   

This new Facebook page will help to increase public awareness of many of the events that go on within the coalition.  According to kye Nordfelt, a leader of SMART Utah, “the Facebook page will serve as a resource for the community and help in promoting new legislation to increase awareness of alcohol abuse related problems.”  The Facebook page will also be an important resource for people who want to be activists in their community.  Not only will it provide information to the community of Utah County but it also serves as a place where people will be able to post their own comments and ideas.  They will be able to share concerns and get answers to their questions on alcohol abuse and what Utah County is doing to prevent it.

The SMART Utah Facebook page will contain information on several different topics.  These topics will include parenting skills that will help reduce teenage substance abuse, legislative updates with opportunities to support SMART’s prevention policies, and notification of SMART’s events and any service opportunities that they have, followers will also be able to follow the coalition discussions, share their own opinions, and ask questions.

Using social media like Facebook has become a popular new trend among public health officials in getting their message out to the public.  Even the CDC has started using this type of media to better be able to connect with the public.  Facebook has a very wide variety of users and the use of Facebook can help in community mobilization.  Because of the ability and ease of access, Facebook is a great tool to connect different members of a society together and create involvement.  An especially good feature of Facebook is the ability to directly talk with people through Facebook.  This use of media enables public health officials and the members of SMART to answer questions directly, giving the public more access to new information and the coalition the knowledge of what the public wants to see done in relation to alcohol abuse prevention. 

 To join the Utah County Health Department on Facebook follow this link to Facebook, http://www.facebook.com, and search Smart Utah. For individuals not already on Facebook, it is simple to register.  To find out more information on SMART’s Facebook page and watch a short tutorial on how to access Facebook, visit http://sites.google.com/site/utahcountycoalition/Home. 

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Contributed by: Rochelle Cronquist